Ohio Regulator Advances Rule to Ban Credit Card Funding for Sports Betting Accounts

Ohio’s gaming regulator is moving forward with a rule that would 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 it is advancing the rule after a public comment period that closed in May.

The measure has not 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.

A Rule Aimed at Responsible Gambling

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 change targets a well-documented responsible-gambling concern: bettors funding losses with borrowed money rather than disposable income. Debit cards, bank transfers, ACH, and online bank pay would all remain unaffected, and those methods already account for the vast majority of deposits at licensed sportsbooks.

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 platforms nationwide, which means many Ohio bettors may see little practical change even if the rule takes effect.

Timeline and What Bettors Should Know

Assuming the 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, aligning the state with a growing list of jurisdictions treating credit cards 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 final implementation date, with a decision expected before football season ramps up nationally.