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Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02 (2026)

Gambling

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
September 4, 2013
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 7 - 130th General Assembly
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(A) No person shall do any of the following:

(1) Engage in bookmaking, or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates bookmaking;

(2) Establish, promote, or operate or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates any game of chance conducted for profit or any scheme of chance;

(3) Knowingly procure, transmit, exchange, or engage in conduct that facilitates the procurement, transmission, or exchange of information for use in establishing odds or determining winners in connection with bookmaking or with any game of chance conducted for profit or any scheme of chance;

(4) Engage in betting or in playing any scheme or game of chance as a substantial source of income or livelihood;

(5) Conduct, or participate in the conduct of, a sweepstakes with the use of a sweepstakes terminal device at a sweepstakes terminal device facility and either:

(a) Give to another person any item described in division (VV)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of section 2915.01 of the Revised Code as a prize for playing or participating in a sweepstakes; or

(b) Give to another person any merchandise prize, or a redeemable voucher for a merchandise prize, the wholesale value of which is in excess of ten dollars and which is awarded as a single entry for playing or participating in a sweepstakes. Redeemable vouchers shall not be redeemable for a merchandise prize that has a wholesale value of more than ten dollars.

(6) Conduct, or participate in the conduct of, a sweepstakes with the use of a sweepstakes terminal device at a sweepstakes terminal device facility without first obtaining a current annual "certificate of registration" from the attorney general as required by division (F) of this section;

(7) With purpose to violate division (A)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) of this section, acquire, possess, control, or operate any gambling device.

(B) For purposes of division (A)(1) of this section, a person facilitates bookmaking if the person in any way knowingly aids an illegal bookmaking operation, including, without limitation, placing a bet with a person engaged in or facilitating illegal bookmaking. For purposes of division (A)(2) of this section, a person facilitates a game of chance conducted for profit or a scheme of chance if the person in any way knowingly aids in the conduct or operation of any such game or scheme, including, without limitation, playing any such game or scheme.

(C) This section does not prohibit conduct in connection with gambling expressly permitted by law.

(D) This section does not apply to any of the following:

(1) Games of chance, if all of the following apply:

(a) The games of chance are not craps for money or roulette for money.

(b) The games of chance are conducted by a charitable organization that is, and has received from the internal revenue service a determination letter that is currently in effect, stating that the organization is, exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(c) The games of chance are conducted at festivals of the charitable organization that are conducted not more than a total of five days a calendar year, and are conducted on premises owned by the charitable organization for a period of no less than one year immediately preceding the conducting of the games of chance, on premises leased from a governmental unit, or on premises that are leased from a veteran's or fraternal organization and that have been owned by the lessor veteran's or fraternal organization for a period of no less than one year immediately preceding the conducting of the games of chance.

A charitable organization shall not lease premises from a veteran's or fraternal organization to conduct a festival described in division (D)(1)(c) of this section if the veteran's or fraternal organization already has leased the premises twelve times during the preceding year to charitable organizations for that purpose. If a charitable organization leases premises from a veteran's or fraternal organization to conduct a festival described in division (D)(1)(c) of this section, the charitable organization shall not pay a rental rate for the premises per day of the festival that exceeds the rental rate per bingo session that a charitable organization may pay under division (B)(1) of section 2915.09 of the Revised Code when it leases premises from another charitable organization to conduct bingo games.

(d) All of the money or assets received from the games of chance after deduction only of prizes paid out during the conduct of the games of chance are used by, or given, donated, or otherwise transferred to, any organization that is described in subsection 509(a)(1), 509(a)(2), or 509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is either a governmental unit or an organization that is tax exempt under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(e) The games of chance are not conducted during, or within ten hours of, a bingo game conducted for amusement purposes only pursuant to section 2915.12 of the Revised Code.

No person shall receive any commission, wage, salary, reward, tip, donation, gratuity, or other form of compensation, directly or indirectly, for operating or assisting in the operation of any game of chance.

(2) Any tag fishing tournament operated under a permit issued under section 1533.92 of the Revised Code, as "tag fishing tournament" is defined in section 1531.01 of the Revised Code;

(3) Bingo conducted by a charitable organization that holds a license issued under section 2915.08 of the Revised Code.

(E) Division (D) of this section shall not be construed to authorize the sale, lease, or other temporary or permanent transfer of the right to conduct games of chance, as granted by that division, by any charitable organization that is granted that right.

(F) Any person desiring to conduct, or participate in the conduct of, a sweepstakes with the use of a sweepstakes terminal device at a sweepstakes terminal device facility shall first register with the office of the attorney general and obtain an annual certificate of registration by providing a filing fee of two hundred dollars and all information as required by rule adopted under division (H) of this section. Not later than the tenth day of each month, each sweepstakes terminal device operator shall file a sweepstakes terminal device monthly report with the attorney general and provide a filing fee of fifty dollars and all information required by rule adopted under division (H) of this section. All information provided to the attorney general under this division shall be available to law enforcement upon request.

(G) A person may apply to the attorney general, on a form prescribed by the attorney general, for a certificate of compliance that the person is not operating a sweepstakes terminal device facility. The form shall require the person to include the address of the business location where sweepstakes terminal devices will be used and to make the following certifications:

(1) That the person will not use more than two sweepstakes terminal devices at the business location;

(2) That the retail value of sweepstakes prizes to be awarded at the business location using sweepstakes terminal devices during a reporting period will be less than three per cent of the gross revenue received at the business location during the reporting period;

(3) That no other form of gaming except lottery ticket sales as authorized under Chapter 3770. of the Revised Code will be conducted at the business location or in an adjoining area of the business location;

(4) That any sweepstakes terminal device at the business location will not allow any deposit of any money, coin, or token, or the use of any credit card, debit card, prepaid card, or any other method of similar payment to be used, directly or indirectly, to participate in a sweepstakes;

(5) That notification of any prize will not take place on the same day as a participant's sweepstakes entry; and

(6) That the person consents to provide any other information to the attorney general as required by rule adopted under division (H) of this section.

The filing fee for a certificate of compliance is two hundred fifty dollars. The attorney general may charge up to an additional two hundred fifty dollars for reasonable expenses resulting from any investigation related to an application for a certificate of compliance.

A certificate of compliance is effective for one year. The certificate holder may reapply for a certificate of compliance. A person issued a certificate of compliance shall file semiannual reports with the attorney general stating the number of sweepstakes terminal devices at the business location and that the retail value of prizes awarded at the business location using sweepstakes terminal devices is less than three per cent of the gross revenue received at the business location.

(H) The attorney general shall adopt rules setting forth:

(1) The required information to be submitted by persons conducting a sweepstakes with the use of a sweepstakes terminal device at a sweepstakes terminal device facility as described in division (F) of this section; and

(2) The requirements pertaining to a certificate of compliance under division (G) of this section, which shall provide for a person to file a consolidated application and a consolidated semiannual report if a person has more than one business location.

The attorney general shall issue a certificate of registration or a certificate of compliance to all persons who have successfully satisfied the applicable requirements of this section. The attorney general shall post online a registry of all properly registered and certified sweepstakes terminal device operators.

(I) The attorney general may refuse to issue an annual certificate of registration or certificate of compliance to any person or, if one has been issued, the attorney general may revoke a certificate of registration or a certificate of compliance if the applicant has provided any information to the attorney general as part of a registration, certification, monthly report, semiannual report, or any other information that is materially false or misleading, or if the applicant or any officer, partner, or owner of five per cent or more interest in the applicant has violated any provision of this chapter.

(J) The attorney general may take any necessary and reasonable action to determine a violation of this chapter, including requesting documents and information, performing inspections of premises, or requiring the attendance of any person at an examination under oath.

(K) Whoever violates this section is guilty of gambling, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of any gambling offense, gambling is a felony of the fifth degree. Notwithstanding this division, failing to file a sweepstakes terminal device monthly report as required by division (F) of this section or the semiannual report required by division (G) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Last updated November 12, 2021 at 4:10 PM

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 112 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1958–2026 · leading case: State v. Horner, 2010 Ohio 3830 (Ohio 2010).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
State v. Horner, 2010 Ohio 3830 (Ohio 2010). · cites it 26× “{¶ 25} R.C. 2915.02 provides: {¶ 26} “(A) No person shall do any of the following: 7 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO {¶ 27} “(1) Engage in bookmaking, or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates bookmaking.”
State v. Posey, 534 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio 1988). · cites it 26× “The first is whether the FOE, a nonprofit fraternal organization, can ever be found to have engaged in gambling for profit in violation of R.C. 2915.02. The second is whether application of R.”
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 685 N.E.2d 522 (Ohio 1997). · cites it 33× “We note that the term “conduct” is used elsewhere in R.C. 2915.02, both as a noun and as a verb that, in context, must be given a narrower construction than that given in our opinion.”
State v. Volpe, 527 N.E.2d 818 (Ohio 1988). · cites it 14× “Appellants were charged with violations of R.C. 2915.02 (gambling), R.C. 2915.03 (operation of a gambling house), and R.”
Big Bob's, Inc. v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 784 N.E.2d 753 (Ohio Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 7× “01(G)(1), a gambling offense includes a violation of R.C. 2915.02. R.C. 2915.02(A) provides: {¶ 21} “No person shall do any of the following: {¶ 22} “* * * {¶23} “(2) Establish, promote, or operate or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates any scheme or game of chance…”
State v. Thomas, 400 N.E.2d 401 (Ohio 1980). · cites it 5× “Defendants attack the sufficiency of the second count of the indictment, in that it failed to specifically allege that their use or occupation of the instant premises was for gambling in violation of R.C. 2915.02. The elements of the offense of operating a gambling house, as set…”
State v. Chandler, 560 N.E.2d 832 (Ohio Ct. App. 1989). · cites it 12× “Therefore, since R.C. 2915.02 and 2923.24 provide for different penalties for the same conduct, they cannot be construed to give effect to both.”
State v. Johnson, 2010 Ohio 6301 (Ohio 2010). · cites it 6× “03, for example, defines the offense of operating a gambling house: {¶ 27} “(A) No person, being the owner or lessee, or having custody, control, or supervision of premises, shall: {¶ 28} “(1) Use or occupy such premises for gambling in violation of section 2915.02 of the…”
State v. VFW Post 3562, 525 N.E.2d 773 (Ohio 1988). · cites it 11× “Ill Appellant next contends that R.C. 2915.02 should not apply to fraternal organizations which are tax exempt under Sections 501(a) and (c) 6 of the Internal Revenue Code and defined as “charitable organizations” under R.”
State v. Bakhshi, 2014 Ohio 1268 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 10× “” The comments note that the prohibitions in R.C. 2915.02 reach “not only the bookie, the casino operator, and the manager of a floating crap game, but also the clerk of the handbook, the dealer, and the person who places a bet with a bookie or plays an illicit 9 game or scheme.”
VFW Post 8586 v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 83 Ohio St. 3d 79 (Ohio 1998). · cites it 6× “Based on the stipulated evidence, we conclude that the commission had sufficient evidence before it to find that the gambling machines had been used to violate R.C. 2915.02(A)(2), 1 which provides: “(A) No person shall do any of the following: a * * * “(2) Establish, promote, or…”
State v. Feliciano, 685 N.E.2d 1307 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 6× “” The indictment against defendant specified underlying “corrupt activities” of gambling, a violation of R.C. 2915.02(A), and operating a gambling house, a violation of R.”
Show all 112 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(A) — 13 cases
State v. Feliciano, 685 N.E.2d 1307 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996). “” The indictment against defendant specified underlying “corrupt activities” of gambling, a violation of R.C. 2915.02(A), and operating a gambling house, a violation of R.”
Big Bob's, Inc. v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 784 N.E.2d 753 (Ohio Ct. App. 2003). “01(G)(1), a gambling offense includes a violation of R.C. 2915.02. R.C. 2915.02(A) provides: {¶ 21} “No person shall do any of the following: {¶ 22} “* * * {¶23} “(2) Establish, promote, or operate or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates any scheme or game of chance…”
State v. Posey, 534 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio 1988). “The first is whether the FOE, a nonprofit fraternal organization, can ever be found to have engaged in gambling for profit in violation of R.C. 2915.02. The second is whether application of R.”
Garono v. State, 524 N.E.2d 496 (Ohio 1988).
State v. McDonald, 509 N.E.2d 57 (Ohio 1987).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(A)(1) — 17 cases
State v. Horner, 2010 Ohio 3830 (Ohio 2010). “{¶ 25} R.C. 2915.02 provides: {¶ 26} “(A) No person shall do any of the following: 7 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO {¶ 27} “(1) Engage in bookmaking, or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates bookmaking.”
State v. Lozier, 803 N.E.2d 770 (Ohio 2004).
State v. Johnson, 2010 Ohio 6301 (Ohio 2010). “03, for example, defines the offense of operating a gambling house: {¶ 27} “(A) No person, being the owner or lessee, or having custody, control, or supervision of premises, shall: {¶ 28} “(1) Use or occupy such premises for gambling in violation of section 2915.02 of the…”
City of Cleveland v. Krebs, 2018 Ohio 746 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
State v. Lester, 2009 Ohio 4225 (Ohio 2009).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(A)(2) — 32 cases
VFW Post 8586 v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 83 Ohio St. 3d 79 (Ohio 1998). “Based on the stipulated evidence, we conclude that the commission had sufficient evidence before it to find that the gambling machines had been used to violate R.C. 2915.02(A)(2), 1 which provides: “(A) No person shall do any of the following: a * * * “(2) Establish, promote, or…”
State v. Horner, 2010 Ohio 3830 (Ohio 2010). “{¶ 25} R.C. 2915.02 provides: {¶ 26} “(A) No person shall do any of the following: 7 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO {¶ 27} “(1) Engage in bookmaking, or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates bookmaking.”
State v. Bakhshi, 2014 Ohio 1268 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). “” The comments note that the prohibitions in R.C. 2915.02 reach “not only the bookie, the casino operator, and the manager of a floating crap game, but also the clerk of the handbook, the dealer, and the person who places a bet with a bookie or plays an illicit 9 game or scheme.”
T & M Machines, L.L.C. v. Atty. Gen., 2020 Ohio 551 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
State v. Young, 468 N.E.2d 131 (Ohio Ct. App. 1983).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(A)(4) — 1 case
State v. Horner, 2010 Ohio 3830 (Ohio 2010). “{¶ 25} R.C. 2915.02 provides: {¶ 26} “(A) No person shall do any of the following: 7 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO {¶ 27} “(1) Engage in bookmaking, or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates bookmaking.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(A)(5) — 26 cases
State v. Volpe, 527 N.E.2d 818 (Ohio 1988). “Appellants were charged with violations of R.C. 2915.02 (gambling), R.C. 2915.03 (operation of a gambling house), and R.”
State v. Chandler, 560 N.E.2d 832 (Ohio Ct. App. 1989). “Therefore, since R.C. 2915.02 and 2923.24 provide for different penalties for the same conduct, they cannot be construed to give effect to both.”
Garono v. State, 524 N.E.2d 496 (Ohio 1988).
State v. McDonald, 509 N.E.2d 57 (Ohio 1987).
State v. Barron, 2022 Ohio 102 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(AX5) — 1 case
State v. Cooper, 585 N.E.2d 868 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(B) — 4 cases
State v. Bakhshi, 2014 Ohio 1268 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). “” The comments note that the prohibitions in R.C. 2915.02 reach “not only the bookie, the casino operator, and the manager of a floating crap game, but also the clerk of the handbook, the dealer, and the person who places a bet with a bookie or plays an illicit 9 game or scheme.”
Pickaway Cnty. Skilled Gaming, L.L.C. v. Cordray, 917 N.E.2d 305 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).
Vets. & Fraternal Charitable Coalition v. DeWine, 2018 Ohio 4679 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
State v. Boscarino, 2014 Ohio 1270 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(C) — 5 cases
State Ex Rel. Gabalac v. New Universal Congregation of Living Souls, 379 N.E.2d 242 (Ohio Ct. App. 1977).
In Re Baum, 386 B.R. 649 (Bankr. N.D. Ohio 2008).
Ohio Gambling Recovery, LLC v. Kalshi Inc., et al. (N.D. Ohio 2026).
Vets. & Fraternal Charitable Coalition v. DeWine, 2018 Ohio 4679 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
Lavery v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 679 N.E.2d 57 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(D) — 14 cases
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 685 N.E.2d 522 (Ohio 1997). “We note that the term “conduct” is used elsewhere in R.C. 2915.02, both as a noun and as a verb that, in context, must be given a narrower construction than that given in our opinion.”
State v. Posey, 534 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio 1988). “The first is whether the FOE, a nonprofit fraternal organization, can ever be found to have engaged in gambling for profit in violation of R.C. 2915.02. The second is whether application of R.”
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dept. of Liquor Control, 1997 Ohio 346 (Ohio 1997).
Big Bob's, Inc. v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 784 N.E.2d 753 (Ohio Ct. App. 2003). “01(G)(1), a gambling offense includes a violation of R.C. 2915.02. R.C. 2915.02(A) provides: {¶ 21} “No person shall do any of the following: {¶ 22} “* * * {¶23} “(2) Establish, promote, or operate or knowingly engage in conduct that facilitates any scheme or game of chance…”
State v. Bakhshi, 2014 Ohio 1268 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). “” The comments note that the prohibitions in R.C. 2915.02 reach “not only the bookie, the casino operator, and the manager of a floating crap game, but also the clerk of the handbook, the dealer, and the person who places a bet with a bookie or plays an illicit 9 game or scheme.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(D)(1) — 6 cases
State v. Posey, 534 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio 1988). “The first is whether the FOE, a nonprofit fraternal organization, can ever be found to have engaged in gambling for profit in violation of R.C. 2915.02. The second is whether application of R.”
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 685 N.E.2d 522 (Ohio 1997). “We note that the term “conduct” is used elsewhere in R.C. 2915.02, both as a noun and as a verb that, in context, must be given a narrower construction than that given in our opinion.”
Robb v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 642 N.E.2d 651 (Ohio Ct. App. 1994).
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dept. of Liquor Control, 1997 Ohio 346 (Ohio 1997).
Lavery v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 679 N.E.2d 57 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(D)(2) — 2 cases
State v. Posey, 534 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio 1988). “The first is whether the FOE, a nonprofit fraternal organization, can ever be found to have engaged in gambling for profit in violation of R.C. 2915.02. The second is whether application of R.”
Robb v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 642 N.E.2d 651 (Ohio Ct. App. 1994).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(D)(2)(e) — 4 cases
Robb v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 642 N.E.2d 651 (Ohio Ct. App. 1994).
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 685 N.E.2d 522 (Ohio 1997). “We note that the term “conduct” is used elsewhere in R.C. 2915.02, both as a noun and as a verb that, in context, must be given a narrower construction than that given in our opinion.”
Lavery v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 679 N.E.2d 57 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996).
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dept. of Liquor Control, 1997 Ohio 346 (Ohio 1997).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(E) — 3 cases
Robb v. Ohio Dep't of Liquor Control, 642 N.E.2d 651 (Ohio Ct. App. 1994).
Freedom Road Found. v. Ohio Dept. of Liquor Control, 1997 Ohio 346 (Ohio 1997).
Lavery v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm'n, 679 N.E.2d 57 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2915.02(F) — 15 cases
City of Cleveland Heights v. Lewis, 2011 Ohio 2673 (Ohio 2011).
State v. Feliciano, 685 N.E.2d 1307 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996). “” The indictment against defendant specified underlying “corrupt activities” of gambling, a violation of R.C. 2915.02(A), and operating a gambling house, a violation of R.”
State v. Volpe, 527 N.E.2d 818 (Ohio 1988). “Appellants were charged with violations of R.C. 2915.02 (gambling), R.C. 2915.03 (operation of a gambling house), and R.”
State v. Chandler, 560 N.E.2d 832 (Ohio Ct. App. 1989). “Therefore, since R.C. 2915.02 and 2923.24 provide for different penalties for the same conduct, they cannot be construed to give effect to both.”
In Re Baum, 386 B.R. 649 (Bankr. N.D. Ohio 2008).
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