Ohio Regulator Moves to Ban Credit Card Funding for Sports Betting Accounts as Rule Advances Toward Late-Summer Vote
The Ohio Casino Control Commission is advancing a rule to prohibit credit card deposits at sportsbooks, joining roughly a dozen states that already restrict the practice.
Ohio’s gaming regulator is advancing a rule to ban credit card deposits for sports betting accounts, following a small but growing group of states that already restrict the funding method. The Ohio Casino Control Commission confirmed this week that it is moving forward with the rule after a public comment period that closed in May.
The measure hasn’t taken effect yet — it still needs to pass through Ohio’s Common Sense Initiative and receive approval from the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review before implementation, a process that could push the timeline to late summer at the earliest.
Targeting a Common Responsible-Gambling Concern
The proposed amendment to Sports Gaming Rule 3775-16-03 would remove credit cards from the list of acceptable deposit methods for deposit-enabled accounts. The rule targets one of the more common responsible-gambling concerns tied to online wagering: bettors funding losses with borrowed money rather than disposable income. Debit cards, bank transfers, ACH, and online bank pay would remain unaffected, and most bettors already rely on those methods rather than credit cards.
If enacted, Ohio would join roughly nine other states that have already banned credit card use for sports wagering, including Illinois and Tennessee. Major operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and bet365 have already phased out credit card deposit options on their own, meaning many Ohio bettors may not notice a disruption even if the rule takes effect.
What Happens Next
Assuming the credit card funding ban clears its remaining procedural hurdles, Ohio bettors would need to rely on debit cards, bank transfers, or other approved funding methods to wager online, bringing the state in line with a small but expanding list of jurisdictions treating credit card deposits as an unacceptable risk factor for problem gambling. The rule’s progress through the Common Sense Initiative and the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review will determine the eventual implementation timeline, with a decision expected before the fall football season ramps up nationwide.