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Ohio Gambling Law Tracker 2026:Bills, Status and What Could Change
No tracked proposal on this page has created a new effective gambling right as of July 17, 2026. Internet-gambling bills remain in committee, the Save Ohio Sports Act is introduced only, and the online-raffle bill has passed one chamber rather than becoming law.
A headline, hearing, committee action or chamber vote does not change legal access by itself. Verify final passage, governor action, the effective date, codified law, agency rules and any actual licensing or launch record.
HB 298 and SB 197 remain proposals rather than effective law.
Both remain in their originating chamber’s committee process.
The introduced proposal has not ended current mobile or Type C sports gaming.
Senate action, governor action and an effective date are still required.
Written by Michael Johnson. Ohio bill status, legislative versions, effective-date records and agency-rule evidence reviewed by Sarah Roberts. Research process: How we test. Editorial standards: Editorial policy.
Have Ohio’s pending gambling bills changed the law?
As of July 17, 2026, Ohio has no launched regulated online-casino or online-poker market created by the tracked bills. HB 298 and SB 197 remain in committee; HB 971 is only introduced; and HB 476 passed the House but remains pending in the Senate. A bill, hearing or one-chamber vote is not current law. User rights change only after enactment, an effective date and any required agency rules or launch implementation. This tracker provides general information, not legal advice.
Ohio Gambling Law Tracker in 90 Seconds
| Question | Current answer | Controlling record | What it proves | What it does not prove | Next safe check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Has any tracked bill created a new Ohio gambling right? | No. None of the pending measures in this tracker is effective as a new user right. | Official status, enacted acts, effective dates and codified law. | The tracked proposals remain pre-enactment. | That no unrelated rule or act changed outside this tracker. | Review current Ohio law and regulator records. |
| Is regulated online casino or online poker live in Ohio? | No launched regulated market was created by the tracked bills. | HB 298, SB 197, enacted acts and current Ohio market records. | The legalization proposals remain pending. | The legal status of every offshore or sweepstakes product. | Use the Ohio laws and sweepstakes owner pages. |
| What is the status of HB 298 and SB 197? | HB 298 is in the House Finance Committee; SB 197 is in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming. | Current Ohio Legislature bill pages and status histories. | Both remain committee-stage proposals. | Passage, governor approval, effective law or launch. | Check for a new version, hearing, report or vote. |
| Did HB 971 end online or mobile sports betting? | No. HB 971 is introduced only. | HB 971 current version and official status. | A restrictive proposal exists. | That current Type A or Type C sports gaming has ended. | Verify current licensed sports-gaming records. |
| Did HB 476 legalize online raffles? | No. It passed the House but remains pending in the Senate. | HB 476 current version, Senate status and final act record. | The proposal advanced beyond the House. | Enactment, effective law or approved online-raffle platforms. | Check Senate action, governor action and effective date. |
| Do SB 430 or HB 887 change prediction-market law today? | No. Both remain introduced committee-stage proposals. | Current bill text and official status. | Prediction-market legislation is under consideration. | The legal status of every contract, platform or user. | Identify the product and current regulator record. |
| Are the tracked sports-gaming tax proposals currently effective? | No. SB 150, SB 199 and HB 800 remain proposals. | Current bill versions, status and enacted tax statutes. | Tax or fee changes have been proposed. | A changed current operator or individual tax rate. | Use current tax law and the Ohio tax owner page. |
| Does passing one chamber make a bill law? | No. The other chamber, governor process and effective-date analysis remain. | Ohio legislative process, enrolled act and Secretary of State filing. | One chamber approved one version. | Final passage, signature, effective date or implementation. | Locate the enrolled act and effective-date record. |
| Can an agency rule change gambling requirements without a new bill? | Yes, within existing statutory authority. | Register of Ohio, JCARR, adopted rule and effective date. | Agencies can implement or amend authorized requirements. | That a proposed filing is already effective or exceeds statutory limits. | Check filing status, rule text and effective date. |
| What should a user verify before acting on a legislative headline? | Bill number, current version, official status, final act, effective date, agency rules and actual product/license record. | The official source hierarchy published below. | Whether the headline corresponds to a material official event. | Personal legal rights without the complete facts. | Use the page that owns the current product or legal question. |
What changed—and what did not
Licensed Ohio sports gaming continues
Ohio’s current framework still permits sports gaming through licensed online and physical operators. A pending restriction bill does not suspend that framework.
Internet-gambling legalization remains proposed
HB 298 and SB 197 have not completed their originating-chamber committee process.
HB 971 has not changed sports access
The Save Ohio Sports Act is a newly introduced proposal, not an effective restriction.
HB 476 is not enacted
House passage is material progress, but it is not Senate passage, governor action or effective law.
Active Ohio gambling bills tracked on July 17, 2026
This is a dated status snapshot. The latest official bill version, status history and effective-law record always control.
| Bill | Current status | Latest official action used | What the current version proposes | Potential effect if enacted | Current effect | Next trigger to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB 971 · Save Ohio Sports Act | Introduced | Introduced in the House on July 1, 2026. | Restricts sports-gaming activities and, in the introduced text, repeals statutory sections associated with online sports pools and Type C sports gaming. | Could materially narrow current sports-gaming formats and access. | None. Current licensed online, retail and Type C records remain controlling. | Committee referral, hearing, substitute version or committee report. |
| HB 298 · Internet Gambling | House Finance Committee | Introduced May 20, 2025; referred May 21, 2025. | Legalizes and regulates internet gambling, imposes a tax and prohibits online sweepstakes games. | Could create a regulated internet-gambling framework and materially change sweepstakes treatment. | None. It has not created an online-casino or online-poker market. | Hearing, amendment, substitute bill or House Finance report. |
| SB 197 · Internet Gambling | Senate Select Committee on Gaming | Introduced May 13, 2025; referred May 14, 2025. | Legalizes internet gambling, permits internet Lottery gaming and online horse-race wagering and reorganizes multiple Gambling Law provisions. | Could create a broader internet-gambling, Lottery and racing framework. | None. No market launch follows from introduction or committee referral. | Hearing, substitute version, committee report or Senate vote. |
| HB 476 · Online Raffles | Passed House · Senate pending | House passage on November 19, 2025; current version is As Passed by the House; Senate committee process remains. | Authorizes regulated online raffles and electronic raffle-ticket structures under the Charitable Gaming Law. | Could establish online-raffle platforms, requirements, registration or licensing and an immediate-effect structure if retained in the enacted version. | Not enacted. House passage alone does not authorize the proposed framework. | Senate committee report, Senate passage, concurrence, governor action and effective date. |
| HB 344 · Electronic Instant Bingo and Retailer VLTs | House Finance Committee | Current version remains As Introduced in House committee. | Expands electronic instant bingo, authorizes retailer video lottery terminals and levies a related tax. | Could expand where electronic gambling products are offered and create a new retailer-VLT framework. | None. The proposal does not currently authorize retailer VLTs. | House Finance hearing, amendment, substitute bill or report. |
| HB 286 · Internet Gaming Tax Revenue Uses | House Finance Committee | Introduced May 20, 2025; referred May 21, 2025. | Restricts the purposes for which revenue from any legal internet gaming may be used. | Could control future revenue allocation if internet gaming becomes legal. | None. This bill does not itself legalize internet gambling. | House Finance hearing or coordination with a separate legalization measure. |
| SB 150 · Sports Gaming Tax Increase | Senate Finance Committee | Current version remains As Introduced in Senate committee. | Increases the sports-gaming tax and allocates increased revenue for athletics and sports venues. | Could change operator tax obligations and revenue distribution. | None. It has not changed the current tax rate. | Finance hearing, fiscal analysis, committee report or Senate vote. |
| SB 199 · Gross Sports Wager Fee | Senate Select Committee on Gaming | Current version remains As Introduced in Senate committee. | Levies a fee on gross sports-gaming wagers and specifies uses for the fee revenue. | Could create an additional operator-facing wager-volume fee and revenue stream. | None. No current fee is created by the pending bill. | Committee hearing, fiscal note, report or Senate vote. |
| HB 800 · Preschool for All Act | House Finance Committee | Introduced March 31, 2026; referred to House Finance May 13, 2026. | Creates broader education programs and includes a sports-gaming-tax provision that must be read from the current analysis and text. | Could change the tax treatment of specified sports-gaming operators as part of a broader act. | None. The short title and committee referral do not change current tax law. | Current LSC analysis, substitute version, Finance report and House vote. |
| SB 430 · Sports Prediction-Market Contracts | Senate Select Committee on Gaming | Introduced April 27, 2026; referred May 13, 2026. | Specifies that using a prediction market to trade event contracts on sporting events constitutes sports gaming subject to Ohio regulation. | Could bring covered sports-event contracts into the sports-gaming regulatory framework. | None. The proposal does not itself resolve every current prediction-market product. | Committee hearing, amendment, report or Senate vote. |
| HB 887 · Public Officials and Prediction Markets | House General Government Committee | Introduced May 12, 2026; referred May 20, 2026. | Prohibits public officials and employees from using prediction markets. | Would create a public-official and public-employee conduct restriction. | None. It is not a current general consumer prohibition. | Committee hearing, report or House vote. |
| SB 399 · Charitable Gaming Authority | Senate Select Committee on Gaming | Introduced March 26, 2026; referred April 15, 2026. | Modifies the Attorney General’s authority and related requirements under the Charitable Gaming Law. | Could change charitable-gaming oversight, authority and compliance requirements. | None. Current charitable-gaming law remains controlling. | Committee hearing, LSC analysis, amendment, report or Senate vote. |
When does an Ohio gambling bill actually change the law?
| Stage | What happened | What it proves | What it does not prove | Record to check next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduced | A legislator filed a proposed bill version. | A formal proposal exists. | Committee support, passage, enactment, effective law or launch. | Committee referral and current version. |
| 2. In committee | The bill was referred and can receive hearings, testimony or amendments. | The proposal is being considered in a committee process. | That the committee will report it or that the chamber will vote. | Committee activity, substitute versions and LSC documents. |
| 3. Reported by committee | The committee approved a version for chamber consideration. | The measure advanced beyond committee. | Passage by the full chamber or the other chamber. | Reported version, calendar and chamber vote. |
| 4. Passed one chamber | The House or Senate approved a version. | One chamber passed the recorded version. | Other-chamber passage, concurrence, governor action or legal effect. | Other chamber’s introduction, committee and vote history. |
| 5. Passed both chambers / enrolled | The General Assembly completed passage of an agreed version. | The Legislature completed its passage process. | Signature, veto outcome, filing date, effective date or market launch. | Enrolled act and governor action. |
| 6. Governor action and filing | The governor signed the act, allowed it to become law or a veto was resolved; the act is filed. | The proposal completed the enactment process. | That every provision is already effective or implemented. | Secretary of State effective-date record and final act. |
| 7. Effective and implemented | The relevant provision reached its effective date and required rules, licenses, systems or launch steps were completed. | The applicable legal and implementation conditions are in force. | That every operator, product or user is eligible. | Codified law, adopted rules, regulator records and exact product availability. |
Current Ohio gambling law versus pending proposals
This is a concise status bridge. The complete current-law analysis remains on the Ohio gambling-laws page.
| Product or issue | Current baseline | Tracked proposal | Current user conclusion | Owner page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online and mobile sports gaming | Ohio currently permits sports gaming through licensed online operators. | HB 971 proposes material restrictions. | HB 971 has not ended licensed online sports gaming. | Ohio sports betting |
| Type B retail sports gaming | Licensed physical sportsbook establishments remain part of the current framework. | HB 971 and tax proposals could affect the broader sports-gaming framework. | Current license and facility records control. | Authorized sportsbooks |
| Type C Lottery sports gaming | Type C remains a current regulated product. | HB 971’s introduced text includes repeals affecting Type C statutory sections. | A proposed repeal does not terminate current Type C operations. | Ohio Lottery |
| Commercial casinos | Ohio’s current casino framework is based on licensed physical casino facilities. | HB 298 and SB 197 propose internet-gambling expansion. | The proposals have not created regulated online casino access. | Ohio casinos |
| Racino VLTs | VLTs remain part of the current racino framework. | HB 344 proposes retailer VLT expansion beyond the current structure. | Retailer VLTs are not authorized by the pending proposal. | Ohio racinos |
| Online casino and online poker | No launched regulated Ohio market is identified in this audit. | HB 298 and SB 197 propose legalization frameworks. | Pending bills are not legal access or a launch date. | Ohio gambling laws |
| Online raffles | Current charitable-gaming law remains controlling. | HB 476 proposes a regulated online-raffle framework. | House passage alone has not enacted the framework. | Ohio gambling laws |
| Sports-event prediction markets | Exact product, contract and regulator records remain controlling. | SB 430 proposes treating covered sports-event contracts as sports gaming. | The proposal does not decide every current product. | Ohio gambling laws |
| Sweepstakes and social casinos | A private operator term does not create an Ohio casino or sportsbook license. | HB 298 proposes to prohibit online sweepstakes games as part of its framework. | A proposed prohibition is not a current enacted-law conclusion. | Ohio sweepstakes casinos |
Six examples: reading Ohio gambling headlines correctly
“HB 298 means online casinos are now legal in Ohio”
Official record: HB 298 remains in the House Finance Committee.
Correct conclusion: an internet-gambling legalization proposal exists.
Do not conclude: that regulated online casino or poker access has launched.
Next check: reported bill, chamber votes, enrolled act, effective date, rules and licenses.
“The Save Ohio Sports Act ended mobile sports betting”
Official record: HB 971 was introduced July 1, 2026.
Correct conclusion: a restrictive proposal has been filed.
Do not conclude: that current licensed mobile or Type C sports gaming has ended.
Next check: committee activity, current bill version and enacted-law record.
“HB 476 passed, so online raffles are legal now”
Official record: the current version is As Passed by the House and remains pending in the Senate.
Correct conclusion: the bill completed one chamber.
Do not conclude: enactment, effective law or approved platforms.
Next check: Senate passage, concurrence, governor action and effective date.
“SB 430 proves every sports prediction market is illegal”
Official record: SB 430 is an introduced committee-stage proposal.
Correct conclusion: lawmakers are considering an express sports-gaming classification for covered event contracts.
Do not conclude: a universal current result for every platform or contract.
Next check: exact product, current law, regulator position and final bill status.
“SB 150 raised Ohio’s sports-gaming tax”
Official record: SB 150 remains in the Senate Finance Committee.
Correct conclusion: a tax increase and revenue-allocation proposal exists.
Do not conclude: that the current operator tax or a user’s individual tax changed.
Next check: enacted tax statute and the Ohio tax owner page.
“The regulator filed a rule, so the rule applies today”
Official record: proposed, refiled, adopted and effective are different rule statuses.
Correct conclusion: a rulemaking event may require review.
Do not conclude: that a proposed filing is already binding.
Next check: Register of Ohio action, JCARR record, final text and effective date.
How to verify a change in Ohio gambling law
- Check the official bill status.Confirm the chamber, committee, latest action and current version.
- Use the current version.If a substitute or reported version exists, compare it with any earlier summary.
- Match the LSC analysis to that version.An analysis of an older version may no longer describe the active proposal.
- Confirm the vote and version.A chamber vote applies to the version recorded at that stage.
- After passage, check governor action and filing.The enrolled act and Secretary of State record control the completed enactment step.
- Confirm the effective date.Different acts and provisions can use different timing.
- Check implementation.Review adopted rules, licenses and regulator launch records before treating an effective statute as an available product.
- Check the final outcome.At the end of the General Assembly, distinguish enacted, failed and expired measures while retaining the dated history behind older headlines.
Official source snapshot
Bill pages support proposal text and procedural status. Enrolled acts, effective-date records, codified law, adopted rules and regulator implementation records control current-law and launch claims.
| Source | Owner | Checked | What it supports | What it does not prove | Safest use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House Bill 971 — Save Ohio Sports Act | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | introduced bill title, current version, official status and proposed sports-gaming restrictions | committee approval, passage, enactment, effective restriction or sportsbook closure | HB 971 status and current-version boundary |
| House Bill 298 — Internet Gambling | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | internet-gambling legalization, tax and online-sweepstakes proposal; House Finance status | enactment, online-casino legality, operator license or launch | House internet-gambling proposal |
| Senate Bill 197 — Internet Gambling | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | internet gambling, internet Lottery, online horse wagering and Senate committee status | enactment, market launch or exact final framework | Senate internet-gambling proposal |
| House Bill 476 — Online Raffles | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | online-raffle proposal, House-passed version and Senate-pending status | enactment, effective law or approved platforms | one-chamber-passage example |
| House Bill 344 — Electronic Instant Bingo and Retailer VLTs | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | electronic instant bingo, retailer VLT and tax proposal; House Finance status | current retailer-VLT authorization or effective tax | proposed product-expansion evidence |
| House Bill 286 — Internet Gaming Tax Revenue Uses | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | proposed restrictions on uses of future legal internet-gaming tax revenue | internet-gambling legalization | revenue-allocation versus legalization boundary |
| Senate Bill 150 — Sports Gaming Tax Increase | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | proposed sports-gaming tax increase, revenue uses and Senate Finance status | a current changed tax rate | sports-tax proposal |
| Senate Bill 199 — Gross Sports Wager Fee | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | proposed fee on gross sports-gaming wagers and Senate committee status | a current fee or individual gambling tax | operator-fee proposal |
| House Bill 800 — Preschool for All Act | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | current bill version, House Finance status and broader act containing a sports-tax provision | a current sports-tax change; short title alone does not explain the gambling provision | cross-topic bill requiring current analysis |
| Senate Bill 430 — Prediction-Market Sports Contracts | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | proposal to classify covered sports-event prediction-market contracts as regulated sports gaming | the current status of every prediction-market contract or platform | prediction-market proposal |
| House Bill 887 — Public Officials and Prediction Markets | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | proposal concerning public officials and employees using prediction markets | a general consumer prediction-market prohibition | public-official-scope boundary |
| Senate Bill 399 — Charitable Gaming Authority | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | proposal to modify Attorney General authority under the Charitable Gaming Law | current changed charitable-gaming authority | charitable-gaming proposal |
| Ohio Legislature Status Reports and Legislative Process | Ohio Legislature | July 17, 2026 | 136th General Assembly status cross-check and bill-to-law process | one bill’s effective date or implementation | status and stage decoder |
| Ohio Legislative Service Commission Analyses and Fiscal Notes | Ohio Legislative Service Commission | July 17, 2026 | version-specific plain-language bill analysis, comparison and fiscal impact | passage, governor action or current law | proposal-scope analysis after verifying the version |
| Ohio Laws — Revised Code and Administrative Code | State of Ohio | July 17, 2026 | current codified statutes, rules, effective dates and latest-legislation labels | a pending bill’s future passage or a product’s current operator availability | current-law baseline |
| Current Session Acts and Effective Dates | Ohio Secretary of State | July 17, 2026 | acts signed and filed in the 136th General Assembly and their effective-date records | agency implementation or market launch | enactment and effective-date confirmation |
| Register of Ohio | Ohio Legislative Service Commission | July 17, 2026 | proposed, refiled, adopted and effective rule filings for agencies including 3770, 3772 and 3775 | that a proposed rule is already binding | rulemaking status |
| Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review | Ohio Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review | July 17, 2026 | legislative review of proposed new, amended and rescinded agency rules | final agency adoption, effective date or product launch | rule-review boundary |
| Ohio Gambling Regulator Implementation Sources | Ohio Casino Control Commission / Ohio Lottery | July 17, 2026 | current licenses, sports-gaming framework, Lottery implementation, meetings and public records | that a pending bill or proposed rule is effective | post-law implementation and current product checks |
| Ohio and National Gambling-Harm Support | State of Ohio / National Council on Problem Gambling | July 17, 2026 | Ohio 1-800-589-9966 and national call/text/chat support through 1-800-MY-RESET | legal status, bill passage, tax status or operator authorization | support when legal-news checking is driving gambling behavior |
What an Ohio gambling bill or status does not prove
- A bill was introduced
- Does not prove committee approval, passage, enactment, effective law or market launch.
- A committee held a hearing
- Does not prove the committee reported the bill or that either chamber passed it.
- A committee reported a bill
- Does not prove passage by the full chamber or the second chamber.
- A bill passed one chamber
- Does not prove final legislative passage, governor action or an effective date.
- A bill passed both chambers
- Does not by itself prove signature, filing date, effective date or implementation.
- An act was signed
- Does not prove every provision is already effective or that the product has launched.
- A rule was proposed
- Does not prove adoption, effective status or compliance with statutory authority.
- A bill title or sponsor summary
- Does not replace the current bill text, LSC analysis or later substitute version.
- A legalization or restriction headline
- Does not establish one user’s legal access, operator license, tax result or account status.
- This tracker
- Does not provide personal legal advice, predict passage or determine the legal status of one user or product.
Stop signals when gambling-law headlines affect behavior
- You are depositing because a legalization bill was introduced.A pending bill is not current access, a license or a launch date.
- You are rushing to gamble because a restriction bill might pass.A proposal is not a reason to accelerate deposits, wagers or losses.
- You are repeatedly refreshing bill pages while continuing to wager.Leave the gambling product and check the official status later.
- A headline is replacing the current operator or regulator record.Verify the present license and current law before acting.
- You are moving money because a tax bill received a hearing.A tax proposal is not a completed personal tax calculation or effective rate.
- You are switching to an offshore or sweepstakes product while waiting for legalization.A pending Ohio bill does not authorize the alternative product.
- Political urgency is turning into table switching or loss chasing.Legislative news does not change the probability of a gambling result.
- Debt, secrecy, panic or inability to stop appears.Call Ohio support at 1-800-589-9966 or call/text 1-800-MY-RESET.
Ohio gambling support: 1-800-589-9966. National call or text support: 1-800-MY-RESET. National chat: NCPG chat.
Use the page that owns the current Ohio question
The law tracker owns pending changes. Use the current-law or product owner after checking whether a proposal is effective.
| Question | Use this page | What it owns | Boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| I need the complete current Ohio gambling status | Ohio gambling overview | Statewide current product and regulator map. | Pending-bill detail remains here. |
| I need the enacted statutes and current legal framework | Ohio gambling laws | Current law, regulator authority and product legality. | General information is not personal legal advice. |
| I need the current sports-gaming product rules | Ohio sports betting | Current Type A, Type B and Type C mechanics. | HB 971 remains a pending proposal. |
| I need to know which sportsbooks are currently authorized | Authorized Ohio sportsbooks | Current legal entities, brands and license status. | A bill does not authorize an operator. |
| I need the current physical casino framework | Ohio casinos | Current commercial-casino facilities and evidence. | HB 298 and SB 197 have not created online casino access. |
| I need current racino and VLT information | Ohio racinos | Current properties, VLTs and racing layers. | HB 344 retailer VLTs remain proposed. |
| I need current Lottery or Type C details | Ohio Lottery | Tickets, claims, VLT administration and Type C mechanics. | HB 476 and HB 971 are not current product changes. |
| I need the current sweepstakes/social-casino boundary | Ohio sweepstakes casinos | Current product model, terms and Ohio boundaries. | HB 298’s proposed prohibition is not enacted. |
| I need a current legal-entity or license lookup | Ohio authorized providers | Current legal entity, license and operating status. | Pending legislation does not replace a license record. |
| I need current gambling-tax treatment | Ohio gambling taxes | W-2G, withholding, deductions and current individual-tax layers. | SB 150, SB 199 and HB 800 are proposals, not current personal tax. |
| A message falsely claims a new Ohio law or license | Ohio gambling scams | Impersonation, fake-license and payment-fraud response. | A bill number can be copied into a scam message. |
| Legislative news is driving deposits or loss chasing | Ohio responsible gambling | Support, limits, treatment and voluntary exclusion. | A possible future law does not change gambling risk. |
Ohio Gambling Law Tracker FAQ
What is the current status of online casino legalization in Ohio?
Ohio has no launched regulated online-casino or online-poker market created by the tracked bills. HB 298 remains in the House Finance Committee and SB 197 remains in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming.
Is Ohio House Bill 298 law?
No. HB 298 is an introduced House bill in the House Finance Committee. It proposes internet-gambling legalization, taxation and an online-sweepstakes prohibition, but it is not enacted or effective.
Is Ohio Senate Bill 197 law?
No. SB 197 is an introduced Senate bill in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming. It proposes internet gambling, internet Lottery gaming and online horse-race wagering, but it is not enacted or effective.
Did Ohio House Bill 971 ban online sports betting?
No. HB 971, the Save Ohio Sports Act, was introduced on July 1, 2026. It proposes material sports-gaming restrictions but has not completed committee or chamber passage and has not ended current licensed mobile sports betting.
Did Ohio House Bill 476 legalize online raffles?
No. HB 476 passed the Ohio House but remains pending in the Senate. It must complete the remaining legislative and governor process and reach its effective date before the proposed framework can apply.
What would Ohio House Bill 344 change?
HB 344 proposes changes to electronic instant bingo, retailer video lottery terminals and related taxation. It remains in the House Finance Committee and has not authorized retailer VLTs.
Does Ohio House Bill 286 legalize internet gambling?
No. HB 286 concerns how revenue from any legal internet gaming may be used. It does not itself create an internet-gambling authorization.
Are Ohio sports-gaming taxes changing under SB 150, SB 199 or HB 800?
Not yet. Those measures remain proposals. Current tax law remains controlling until a measure completes enactment, reaches its effective date and is reflected in the applicable tax records.
What does Ohio Senate Bill 430 propose?
SB 430 proposes to specify that using a prediction market to trade event contracts on sporting events constitutes sports gaming subject to Ohio regulation. It remains in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming.
What does Ohio House Bill 887 propose?
HB 887 proposes to prohibit Ohio public officials and employees from using prediction markets. It is not a general consumer legalization or prohibition bill and remains in committee.
What does “in committee” mean for an Ohio bill?
It means the bill was referred to a committee that may hold hearings, receive testimony or amend the proposal. It does not mean the committee reported the bill or that either chamber passed it.
Does passing one Ohio legislative chamber make a bill law?
No. The other chamber must act on an agreed version, the governor process must be completed, the act must be filed and the relevant effective date must be reached.
When does an enacted Ohio gambling bill take effect?
The exact enacted act and Secretary of State record control. Different provisions can use different timing, and emergency, appropriation or tax provisions can require separate effective-date analysis.
Can the Ohio Casino Control Commission change gambling rules without a new bill?
An agency can adopt or amend rules within authority granted by existing statutes. Check the Register of Ohio, JCARR review, final adopted text and effective date rather than treating a proposed filing as current law.
Where should I verify an Ohio gambling bill’s current status?
Use the official Ohio Legislature bill page, current bill version, LSC documents, status history, committee activity and votes. After enactment, use the enrolled act, Secretary of State effective-date record, codified law and regulator implementation sources.
Does this Ohio gambling law tracker provide legal advice?
No. It provides general, dated legislative-status information. It does not determine one person’s legal rights, one product’s classification or one operator’s authorization.
Update notes
- : Published the Ohio gambling-law tracker with a direct current-status verdict; 12-bill tracker; introduced, committee, one-chamber, enactment and effective-date distinctions; current-law bridge; worked examples; rulemaking sources; update protocol and visible FAQ.