The Ohio sports betting application update last week includes just two names, though they are key to the market.
One of the US sports betting leaders, DraftKings Sportsbook, applied for its mobile sports betting license June 22. BetJACK, the brand from local casino operator JACK Entertainment, applied for its retail license the same day.
There is still plenty of time to submit applications for first-skin mobile and retail Ohio sportsbooks, as the window runs through July 15. Hopeful licensees must have completed applications submitted by then to be guaranteed a Jan. 1 launch.
More OH sports betting partners for JACK?
JACK Entertainment also applied for two mobile sports betting proprietor licenses. The operator runs a full casino at JACK Cleveland and a racino at JACK Thistledown about 15 miles east.
JACK would only need one mobile proprietor license to operate BetJACK statewide. That suggests the company sold the first skin for one of the properties, but JACK representatives did not respond to LSR requests for comment on a potential sale.
Casinos and sports teams can offer two skins per mobile proprietor license, as long as the second skin is economically beneficial to the state. There could be as many as 46 mobile sportsbooks in Ohio.
JACK already recruiting customers
DraftKings has one of the best sports betting databases in the country after its years of operating daily fantasy sports in most states.
JACK, on the other hand, had only retail casino customers in its database until it launched free-to-play betJACK.
The free sportsbook teaches customers how to bet on sports while adding sports betting fans to its database for when the market is live next year.
More Ohio sports betting applications incoming
DraftKings joined the first two mobile sportsbook applicants, BetMGM and PointsBet, as the only mobile operators to apply through the first 10 days of the application window.
There will be many more submitted in the last 21 days before the window closes. After that, another influx of applications is expected through Aug. 15 when second-skin operators and lottery retailers can start applying.
The Casino Control Commission expects to process around 3,000 applications before the market opens.
