Ohio Is Drafting a Credit Card Ban for Sports Betting — What Online Bettors Need to Know Before Late Summer

Ohio sports bettors may soon find one payment option disappearing from their sportsbook apps. The Ohio Casino Control Commission published a draft rule this week that would remove credit cards as an accepted funding method for sports betting accounts, opening a public comment period that runs through May 15, 2026. If the rule clears the required review steps, the change could take effect as early as late summer 2026.

What the Draft Rule Actually Says

The Commission is proposing to amend Sports Gaming Rule 3775-16-03 to remove credit cards from the list of permitted deposit options for online sportsbook accounts. The proposal does not affect debit cards, wire transfers, or other payment methods currently accepted by Ohio-licensed sportsbooks. It is narrowly targeted at credit cards specifically, based on the argument that using borrowed money to fund gambling accounts amplifies financial risk and contributes to problem gambling behavior.

Stakeholders who want to weigh in have until 5 p.m. EST on May 15 to submit written comments to the Commission at [email protected]. After the comment period closes, the Commission must hold a public hearing and forward the proposal to a state legislative panel for review before the rule can take effect. That process, if it proceeds without complications, puts the earliest possible implementation date in late summer 2026.

Which Sportsbooks Have Already Blocked Credit Cards

The practical impact of the rule may be smaller than it appears on the surface, because several major sportsbooks already stopped accepting credit card deposits voluntarily over the past year. DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, and Bet365 have all removed credit cards as a deposit option. For bettors on those platforms, the rule change would have no practical effect. But smaller or newer operators that still allow credit card funding would be required to close that option if the amendment is adopted.

What Payment Methods Will Still Work

Ohio bettors who currently use credit cards on any sportsbook that still accepts them will want to set up alternative funding methods before the rule takes effect. The list of viable alternatives is long, and most options process quickly.

• Debit cards — Remain permitted and are already the most common deposit method among Ohio bettors, according to PaySafe, a major sports betting payment processor
• PayPal — Widely accepted at major Ohio-licensed sportsbooks
• Online banking and ACH transfer — Accepted at most sportsbooks and often carries no fees
• Wire transfer — Available for larger deposits
• Prepaid cards — Accepted at many platforms
• Cash at the cage — Available for sportsbooks with physical retail locations in Ohio

Debit cards are unlikely to be affected by any future rule expansion. The Commission’s draft is explicitly limited to credit cards, and the language of the proposal does not suggest any intent to restrict debit use going forward.

Why Ohio Is Moving Now

The draft rule is part of a broader national trend. If Ohio adopts the proposal, it would join at least nine other states that have already banned credit card deposits for sports wagering. The push to remove credit cards from the equation is driven largely by responsible gambling advocates, who argue that the combination of credit card debt and gambling losses creates compounding financial harm that debit-only policies help prevent.

Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration has backed the effort, and the Commission’s willingness to move on it signals regulatory alignment that makes the proposal likely to advance. The comment period, followed by a public hearing and legislative panel review, builds in some additional runway for industry stakeholders to respond, but the directional pressure is clearly toward adoption.

For Ohio sportsbooks users who still have a credit card linked as a deposit method, the safest move right now is to add a debit card or bank account so you are not scrambling for an alternative once the rule is finalized. The transition itself is straightforward — most major apps let you add and verify a new payment method in under five minutes.

What Comes Next

The May 15 comment deadline is the first checkpoint, but the rule still has several steps to clear before it becomes binding. After the public hearing, the proposal must go before a state legislative review panel, which has the authority to accept, modify, or block it. If everything moves smoothly, late summer 2026 is the realistic target for the rule going live.

Ohio has had legal mobile sports betting since January 2023, and the regulatory environment has consistently added consumer protection measures over time. The credit card ban fits squarely into that pattern. Bettors who stay ahead of the change by updating their payment preferences will have nothing to worry about when the rule eventually takes effect.