Ohio Rule Change Would Ban Sportsbooks From Accepting Credit Cards
David Genge Published 11/05/2026
If a rule change in the state goes forward, Ohio sports bettors soon won't be able to charge it when it comes time to fund their accounts. A ban on credit card use with sports betting accounts is part of a draft rule change being put forward by the administration of Governor Mike DeWine.
The proposed rule change is among several reforms being sought by critics of Ohio's current sports betting system. Opponents of sports betting in Ohio are insisting that the use of credit cards to place bets on sports serves to increase the risk of gambling addiction and financial ruin.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission posted the credit card rule change
This proposed credit card ban on sports betting was initially announced by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC). It is Rule 3775-16-03 of sports gaming accounts that this proposal would be amending. It's the rule governing the use of and requirements for sports gaming accounts. Paragraph (E)(1) and (E)(7) are being amended to remove credit cards as a permissible funding source for a depositenable account.
The regulators of sports betting in the state, the OCCC, will be accepting public comment on the proposal through May 15.
"The Commission is proposing to amend Sports Gaming Rule 3775-16-03 to remove credit cards as a funding option for deposit-enabled accounts," the OCCC announced in a statement. "Stakeholders are encouraged to review the changes.
"If you would like to submit written comments, please email them to rulecomments@casinocontrol.ohio.gov by 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2026."
Once public commenting closes down, it will be the responsibility of the OCCC to schedule a public hearing. Following that stage, the proposal will be sent to a state legislative panel for review. If the process moves ahead without significant opposition, these changes could take effect later this summer.
This idea is part of a more widespread bill to reshape Ohio sports betting
This change is being put forth specifically by the OCCC. The proposed credit card ban for sports betting is part of a bigger package of bills. Several are before the state legislature. There is one bill called the Save Ohio Sports Act. Another bill is the Sports Integrity Bill. There's also a Consumer Protection Bill. The latter bill would place limits on wagers and their frequency. An element of that plan is the elimination of the use of credit cards by sports bettors to fund their accounts.
The concept has its supporters beyond those in government or the regulatory side of the sports betting industry.
"[This] is something other states do have today," Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtue, told Cleveland 5 News. "Which says you can't place these bets using a credit card. You'd have to use cash or an ACH card of existing funds so you're not racking up endless credit card debt on games that are stacked against you."
An Ohio credit card ban might not realistically impact sports betting
The entire point of banning the use of credit cards to bet with sportsbooks in Ohio might prove to be moot. For the most part, the leading sportsbooks in the U.S. legal and regulated market already prohibit credit card use. DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars are among the sites that ban the use of credit cards.
Interestingly, the ban doesn't include debit cards. For years, research shows that debit cards are the most common method for funding a sports betting account.
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