The state of Ohio will likely become the 19th US state to allow daily fantasy sports (DFS), following the passage of a bill legalising and regulating these contests to its Governor, John Kasich.
House bill 132 was passed yesterday by the Ohio legislature, 86 votes to 3 after being passed overwhelmingly by the states House of Representatives in May.
The bill states that any company wanting to offer DFS games in Ohio must first be licensed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission before they can do so.
Under the proposed legislation, licenses will cost $10,000 a year and can be obtained for a maximum three year period before reapplying, with all licensing fees going directly to the Ohio Casino Control Commission Fund.
The law includes provisions that DFS players must be above the age of 18 and that no fantasy games relating to school, college, university or youth sports leagues are permitted in the state.
If successful Ohio would join states including: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennslyvania, Vermont, Virginia and Tennessee in legalising DFS within state borders.
All that is required is Governor Kasich’s signature on the bill for it to become law.
