Ohio has always played a pivotal role in the development of major professional sports leagues in the USA, so it would be a shame to think Ohio’s residents would not be allowed in joining in on the Daily Fantasy Sports Leagues (DFS) fun. Thankfully, DFS has been legal in the state since 2016 – and Ohioans can’t seem to get enough of it.

Todd Winkler, Editor at online-gambling.com

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Todd Winkler has been an editor at online-gambling.com for 6 years. His focus is on guides and articles about poker games, blackjack, and DFS. With relatives in New Zealand, he is also well aware of the gambling industry in the country.

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Daily Fantasy in Ohio

In December 2016, Ohio’s governor John Kasich signed legislation that would allow Fantasy Sports in the state. Although horse racing was banned from the competitions, the laws have been relatively relaxed – with DFS operators obliged to pay no tax after their annual $10,000 license fee. Since then, almost 2 million Ohioans have enjoyed the fun in drafting fantasy teams of their favorite sports. If you are curious also about other aspects and bets that you can place, now is the time to check our page about gambling in Ohio.

Online Daily Fantasy Sports in Ohio – Overview

In comparison to many other states to legalize DFS in the US, Ohio’s path was quite easy. The conversation around DFS first started in 2016, when the state Attorney General Mike DeWine suggested that laws be introduced to address the lack of clarity about its legality in state law. This prompted two bills to be introduced that offered contrasting opinions on its merits. Thankfully, it was the one that wanted to consider DFS a game of skill and therefore legal that ended up being successful.

As the 18th state to bring in DFS legislation, Ohio has proven that it is open to progressive positions when it comes to gambling laws. The benefits of legalization are that consumer protection laws could now be brought in to limit the potential of problem gambling issues arising. Since then, Ohioans have proven to be some of the most passionate contestants in the whole DFS league.

Below, we have listed the top sports leagues in Ohio and how they can be played in DFS.

Online Daily Fantasy NFL – Plenty of Homegrown Talent To Choose From

Both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns call Ohio home, and opinions on who best represents the state in the league can be divisive. Thankfully, players in the popular NFL Fantasy League won’t have to decide between the two, as they build a team of 9 of NFL stars from any team and watch them go head-to-head against other contestants’ teams. Points are scored based on the real-life performances of the players and cash prizes are won at the end of every week.

Online Daily Fantasy MLB – Don’t See Red – You Can Play Them Instead!

Home to the 5-time World Series Winning Cincinnati Reds, Ohio’s Major League Baseball fans can be guaranteed to be including star players like pitcher Luis Castillo and Yassieg Puil in their fantasy drafts. In MLB Fantasy, players can build a team of 10 players and score points based on the real-life performance of those players. Scores can be earned in different ways, with 5 points for stealing bases, 10 points given for a home run, etc.

Online Daily Fantasy NBA – The Cavalier’s Code

In recent years, Ohio’s Cleveland Cavaliers have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with in the National Basketball Association, with star player LeBron James leading them to their first Championship in 2016. The NBA Fantasy League is sure to lure many Cav’s fans in, with contestants being asked to create a lineup of 8 players. Scoring is based on real-life gameplay statistics e.g. 1 point for every point scored, 2 points for a block.

Online Daily Fantasy NHL –

In 2019, the Columbus Blue Jackets entered the playoffs and became the first team in history to defeat and send home a President’s Trophy Winner, which this year was the Tampa Bay Lightning. This should be more than enough reason to keep your preferences for Blue Jackets players in the next season of the NHL Fantasy League. Here, contestants are to draft teams of 9 players from at least 3 different teams and are awarded points for each players’ real-life goals, assists, and blocked shots.

College Fantasy Sport – Triple-League Champions

The Ohio State University’s NCAA collegiate athletic program is one of the most successful in the nation with it’s Buckeyes one of only 6 teams to win championships in baseball, basketball, and football. The most popular though would have to by far be their football team.

Having won eight national championships, with their most recent being in 2014, along with 39 conference championships and completing six perfect seasons with no losses or ties, the football program at Ohio State is valued at $1.5 billion, making it the highest valued college football program in the United States. With players from all over the country fighting for a position in the Buckeyes as well as a whole string of notable alumni, DFS contestants will likewise be fighting for current and former Buckeyes players in their DFS football lineups.

Timeline of Daily Fantasy Sports Legislation

Although Ohio once had strong anti-gambling laws dating back from their introducing during the Prohibition era, lawmakers and residents of the state have slowly but surely changed their opinions to the activity. Nowadays, most forms of land-based gambling are permitted, including bingo, lottery, horse racing and since 2009, non-tribal casinos.

While there is still some way to go until online gambling is permitted, there is hope that sports betting will be legalized in the state after a nationwide ban on sports betting was overruled in 2018. For now, though, Ohioans can enjoy Fantasy sports betting without fear of breaking the law.

Below is a table of important years in Ohio’s gambling history leading up to DFS legalization.

Legal Daily Fantasy Betting Age in Ohio

No matter in what kind of betting activity you plan to participate, according to the laws of Ohio, you must be at least 18 years old to do it legally. Daily fantasy sports, of course, also fall in this category. Keep in mind that in case you decide to overlook this rule, once caught, you will be punished as the law prescribes, which can be even jail for at most 60 days.

• DFS Betting Age
  Players must be over 18 years old to legally gamble in Ohio.
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age in Ohio is 21 years old.
• Weed Age
  Recreational cannabis smoking is illegal in Ohio.

Is Daily Fantasy Betting Legal Outside of the State?

Like Ohio, Daily Fantasy League betting is now legal in most states in the USA, with only nine states still yet to legalize it. Considering Ohio was one of the earlier adopters of DFS legalization, this fact is quite surprising considering the speed at which changes to the law have happened. Those that haven’t and continue to remain strict on DFS laws include Montana, Hawaii and Arizona. While there is hope for some of these states to move toward legalization in the following years, some of them show little to no sign of changing their attitudes toward gambling any time soon. However, if the speed at which current nationwide legalization efforts have shown us anything, it’s that laws surrounding gambling are unpredictable and could change any year.

The Best Fantasy Sports App in Ohio

We are sure that every fan of DFS loves to play on the go and we have a piece of good news. The biggest and the best operators of daily fantasy sports in Ohio have their own apps for both Android and iOS. This allows you to play, no matter where you are and what time it is, as far as you have a stable internet connection. If we have to choose our favourite DFS app, we would pick DraftKings. The operator is second to none and can give you absolutely perfect experience!

Taxes on Daily Fantasy Winnings: Legal Overview

Almost everywhere in the US, and in the whole world actually, the winnings that you gather from gambling undergo taxation. This is valid also for Ohio – the federal taxes are 25% and you must class the winnings as an income. Therefore, the local tax rate is applied. If you need more information about it, we advise you to check in IRS or to read in the website of Ohio’s Department of Taxation.

Upcoming Regulation Changes to Be Aware Of

Now that Daily Fantasy Sports are legalized in Ohio, there has been very little said of further amending current legislation. It seems as though current laws are working just fine for both the state and its players. However, considering the popularity of DFS in Ohio and the fact that the state collects no tax from DFS operators, there may come a point in time where lawmakers decide to collect some revenue for their activities.

Outside of DFS betting, many are looking to Ohio to be the next potential state to legalize sports betting. With two bills currently looking to allow betting both online and at on-site kiosks, there is a high likelihood that by the end of 2019, Ohioans will be able to bet on both Fantasy Sports and real-life sports. You can also check the Alabama daily fantasy sports and what they can offer to you!

Daily Fantasy Guides for Nearby States

• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Kentucky
• Indiana