Ohio Casinos Online

Up until 2011 gambling in the buckeye state was pretty much limited to horse race betting and lotteries. Then everything changed just like that. Within a few years, residents of Ohio had access to nearly 20,000 slot machines, hundreds of table games and large scale poker tournaments. Four commercial casinos had opened up and as many as seven racetracks were offering gaming machines.

While these venues are still operating today, land based gambling is losing more and more players to internet casinos and it’s no wonder. Playing online has a heap of benefits, with convenience and much better chances of winning being the ones that mainly attract people to internet gambling. Slots have considerably higher payout percentages, while bonus offers come in much greater numbers.

Juridically, internet gambling is yet to be legalized in the buckeye state. However, you can already play at hundreds of online casinos in Ohio as there are plenty of gambling sites operating from outside of America that allow Ohioans. You won’t get in trouble for doing so. On the following page we have provided more information about this and also listed the very best Ohio casinos online.

Best online casinos in Ohio listed and reviewed

As passionate gamblers we at casinowebsites.com want to share our many years of experience with internet casinos and guide fellow risk-takers to the very best Ohio casinos online. The below listed sites are all world class operators that provide a secure gambling experience with a huge game selection; wide range of valuable bonus offers; 24/7 customer support and fast withdrawal times.

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How do I gamble at online casinos in Ohio?

Spinning on slots, playing table games and taking part in other forms of casino gambling online is very easy. You probably don’t need us to guide you through it, but just in case we have done so anyway. The entire gambling process consists of the following seven stages:

Picking a site to play at à signing up an account à checking out bonus offers à depositing money à enjoying the gambling à requesting a cash out à verifying your account

1. Pick a site to play at
   Any of the best Ohio casinos that we have recommended above will most likely satisfy you. They offer a similar experience which is about as good as it can get. One thing that does vary between them is, however, if sports betting and poker against other players is available or not. Some sites offer this while others have channeled all of their resources into casino games. 
   
2. Sign up an account
   This is a basic account creation procedure that you’ve probably gone through a thousand times. You’ll be asked to provide your name; home address; date of birth; e-mail and phone number. With some casinos a confirmation code will be sent to you as an e-mail or SMS.
   
3. Check out bonus offers
   One of the best things about internet gambling is that bonus offers come in large numbers and as you may or may not already know these are great for boosting your long term chances of winning. Before depositing we suggest heading over to the casino’s promotional to page to see what they have in store for you. At the very least you’ll be able to grab a welcome bonus.
   
   It’s important that you read through the terms and conditions that the offers come with. These contain valuable information that is very good to know about.
   
4. Fund your casino account
   Have you ever purchased something online? Then making a deposit should be child’s play as the process is either very similar or identical. With the best Ohio casinos listed by us you’ll be able to fund your account using debit cards, bitcoins and by making a wire transfer. We personally recommend depositing with Visa or Mastercard as this will instantly fund your account with money.
   
5. Let the gambling begin
   Bonus active? Check. Deposit made? Check. Well, then what are you waiting for? Now is the time to enjoy yourself. Browse through the hundreds of slot machines, table games, video pokers and other gambling products that are offered and enjoy the exciting fun of them.
   
6. Request a cash out
   If you’ve been a good boy or girl and said your prayers to lady luck you’ve hopefully been rewarded with a neat cash boost. This means that it’s time to make a withdrawal. Requesting a cash out is just as easy as depositing money. You usually can’t do it to a debit card though, but options available normally include wire transfer, bitcoins and check by courier. Bitcoins is the fastest method, but for most people making a wire transfer is the most convenient one.
   
7. Verify your account
   All legitimate online casinos in Ohio have safety measures installed to prevent duplicate accounts; fraudulent behavior and underage gambling. This means that before any of your requested withdrawals can be approved you must first go through a verification process. You do this by sending the casino a photo copy of a passport, driver’s license or other valid identification.

Still have questions about gambling online?

If so you can find comfort in the fact that all of the gambling sites that we have listed are offering an outstanding customer support that can be reach on live chat, e-mail and phone all around the clock. They are more than happy to help you out with any questions that you may have; anything from how to play a certain game to taking part of bonus offers and verifying your account.

Is it legal to play casino online in Ohio?

It’s not officially legal but it’s not necessarily illegal either as internet gambling isn’t directly addressed in the state law. It’s a bit of grey area. While it might be true that the gambling laws that exist could potentially be used to prosecute someone that is playing online, no one has ever been charged for doing so. The law enforcement simply has way more important things to deal with than tracking down individuals who are enjoying themselves with internet gambling.

So while it isn’t legal on paper, it’s perfectly fine playing casino online in Ohio. It’s more likely for you to win a million dollar jackpot gambling over the internet than facing charges for doing so. A risk well worth taking if you ask us.

What’s the legal status of other forms of gambling?

A brief look at the history of gambling in Ohio

1807: Unlike many American states Ohio never had any problems with lotteries being corrupt. This did, however, not stop them from becoming banned as this year saw the criminalization of them.

1933: Pari-mutuel betting on horse racing is legalized and becomes very popular.

1973: A state run lottery program is formed and tickets start going on sale the following year.

1980: Legalizing casino is up for discussion, but the bill eventually fails.

1990: In a vote the people of Ohio disapprove of legalizing casino gambling.

1996: State residents once again get to vote on the matter of casino gambling – this time if riverboat casinos should be allowed. Once again they disapprove of it.

2001: A bill that would allow racetracks to offer casino games is turned down.

2002: Racinos are once again up for discussion as two bills are introduced, but both of them fail.

2009: The constitution is amended to allow for commercial casinos to be built in Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus; and Toledo.

2011: Racinos become legal, allowing racetracks to offer electronic video gaming machines (slots).

2012: The first commercial casino in Ohio opens up – Horseshoe Cleveland.

2016: Lottery sales hit a record high with $3 billion in annual revenue.

Land based gambling venues in Ohio

Are you looking to mix up your internet sessions with some real casino action coming from an authentic gambling experience? If so, you have a pretty good selection of land based venues to visit in Ohio; especially if you’re a fan of slot machines. The buckeye state is home to four commercial casinos and seven racinos, and more or less all of these venues are offering over 1,000 slot machines. We have listed details about them below.

Casinos in Ohio

Racinos in Ohio

Bonuses offered at Ohio casinos online

Any player looking to maximize their chances of winning should consider taking part of bonus offers. While we can’t beat the casinos no matter how much we try, promotional offers is a way for them to give away some of their edge, which in return ensures that people keep playing with them.

A great thing about gambling over the internet is that the competition between operators is huge. This has forced the casinos to offer more and more bonuses in order to attract and retain players.

Below we have taken a brief look at the many different types of offers that you are likely to come across when gambling online. 

Welcome bonuses

This is a bonus offered to new players making their first deposit. It’s usually the most valuable one you can get as the welcome bonus is a great opportunity for casinos to market themselves. The bonus will normally match your first deposit with extra cash up to a certain amount. This amount tends to be high and the wagering requirements needed to be fulfilled before cash out fairly low.

Reload bonuses

These offers are similar to welcome bonuses. In other words, they will match your deposit with extra cash. It’s quite common for this type of bonus to be offered as an exclusive loyalty reward to frequently visiting and depositing players. 

Refer-a-friend bonus

Some online casinos in Ohio will give you a fixed sum of cash (often around $50) for each person that you invite to play with them. The way the bonus works is that you’ll generate a unique sign up link that is tied to your account. When someone signs up through this link and makes a deposit you get rewarded for it.

Lottery draws

These promotions allow you to win anything from exotic trips around the world to the latest electronic gadgets and substantial cash prizes. They’re usually quite simple; for every deposit made of a certain amount or every time you’ve wagered a certain sum of cash on a certain type of game you receive a lottery ticket. Then at the end of the promotion period a drawing takes place.

Competitions

Just like lottery draws, competitions can have a wide range of different prizes. Unlike them these types of promotions can, however, vary a lot in their designs. Sometimes winning is as simple as being the player wagering the most money within a certain period of time. But competitions can also consist of creative slot tournaments where you gather points for scoring consecutive wins; big wins; and for completing other types of objectives.

Cashbacks

This type of bonus is running over a certain period of time with the weekend being quite common. The way that it works is that a certain percentage of all the net losses you’ve had during this time frame is returned to you. The cashback is often set to 10% or 20%.

Free spin offers

These bonuses will give you free spins on one or several slot machines. Sometimes you get them by making a deposit; sometimes by wagering money; and sometimes by completing a mission such as triggering a bonus feature in a slot.

Live dealer bonuses

Many of the best Ohio casinos that we have listed on top of the page offer a live dealer section. Here you can enjoy roulette and blackjack against real, professional dealers through a live video stream. It’s not too uncommon to find some really interesting bonuses to be offered on these games. This could for instance be that winning on a certain number on roulette would give you an additional cash prize or that special cash cards have been hidden in the decks on the blackjack tables.

Good will bonuses

If you don’t think that the casino is offering enough bonuses you can usually have a chat with the support and ask for one. If one is handed to you this would be a so called good will bonus – a bonus given as an act of kindness. Don’t expect to always receive a bonus like this though as the decision is likely to be based on your recent deposit and withdrawal ratio.

FAQ about gambling and casinos in Ohio

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