The Ohio Casino Control Commission held a virtual meeting on Wednesday and agreed to have “Batch 3” of its proposed sports betting rules formally filed with the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) office.
Batch 3, which was originally made available for public comment Jan. 31, consists of rules pertaining to the sports gaming exclusion program, Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP), Type-C licenses, and integrity monitoring. Two of the five total batches of proposed sports gaming rules remain to be filed with CSI.
Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 29 on Dec. 22, legalizing sports betting in Ohio. The commission’s latest agreement to have Batch 3 filed with CSI is another step toward eventually having sports betting up and running in the Buckeye State. The law states that sports betting must be launched by Jan. 1, 2023.
Limited role with Type-C sports gaming entities
The commission held discussions on a number of subjects prior to agreeing to file the third batch with CSI. Matt Schuler, the commission’s executive director, noted his agency’s limited role with regard to Type-C sports gaming proprietors and Type-C sports gaming hosts.
He shared that once the commission approves licenses for Type-C sports gaming proprietors, further regulation and accountability will be handled by the Ohio Lottery Commission.
Thanks to the diligent work of its casino control commission, #Ohio remains on pace to launch sports betting by year's end, reports @hoosier3232 https://t.co/CNRtDRU12w @BetsOhio
— US Bets (@US_Bets) March 29, 2022
“Our role here is strictly to do a probity investigation on the applicants and then consider that at a public meeting of the commission,” he said.
Schuler also discussed what’s needed for approval of a Type-C sports gaming host license, which allows entities to accommodate sports gaming kiosks. Among the requirements are that the establishment must have a liquor license, be an Ohio lottery retail sales agent, receive recommendation for licensing by the Ohio Lottery Commission, and be a for-profit entity.
“If our applicants meet this criteria, the commission is obligated under the law to give them a license to be a host for the sports gaming lottery,” Schuler said.
The Ohio Lottery Commission will also be responsible for regulating and monitoring Type-C sports gaming hosts.
Stakeholders total nearly 400
Plans for a new online portal that will make it easier to enroll in the Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) were briefly discussed during the meeting. The improved system will allow for online enrollment from anywhere in the state.
It was also shared that the involuntary exclusion program rules for sports gaming were “borrowed from the casino” rules that address the same subject matter.
Prior to the commission formally filing proposed sports gaming rules with CSI, stakeholders are given an opportunity to review and comment on proposed sports gaming rules twice. It was reported that the number of stakeholders has grown to nearly 400.
The commission is scheduled to gather in person for a second meeting this month on April 20. A plan is in place to hold meetings twice a month — once virtually — in order to remain on schedule to have sports betting available before the end of the year. The meetings will be held on the first and third Wednesday each month.
