Ohio Internet Gambling Laws

• Online gamblers may not use credit cards to facilitate their gaming in Ohio.gambling image by Photosani from Fotolia.com
  
  The proliferation of Internet sites allowing gambling raises questions for states that prohibit this activity. Do states have jurisdiction over gambling outfits located in other states or countries, and if so, what consequences does this have for gamblers living in that state? Ohio prohibits all gambling "for business or personal profit," according to the Gambling Law US website, but has no specific statutes regarding Internet gambling, leaving the issue to federal lawmakers.
  
  

General Prohibition of Gambling and Internet

• As of 2010, Ohio law says that placing bets on the outcome of a game is prohibited, as are most lottery-type games (for example, slot machines). The only exception to this law is games for charitable purposes, such as holding a raffle to benefit a charitable cause. The Ohio statutes don't specifically mention online gambling; however, the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Act prohibits gamblers from using credit cards to gamble online in states that forbid gambling. Since Ohio is one such state, it is illegal to gamble online using a credit card.
  
  

Online Gambling and Bankruptcy

• In 2007, an Ohio woman filed bankruptcy after failing to make suitable arrangements to repay credit card bills incurred when she engaged in online gambling. The judges involved in the case stated, among other things, that the debt was unenforceable because using a credit card for online gambling is illegal in Ohio. However, excessive gambling is not automatically grounds for bankruptcy; the Ohio court also ruled that a gambler must prove that he intended to pay the debt at the time he incurred it. Activities designed to stop a problem gambler from gambling such as canceling the subscription to an Internet gambling service help support bankruptcy cases of this nature.
  
  

Internet Gambling Without Credit Card

• Since the Ohio statutes do not specifically address Internet gambling, gambling without the use of a credit card may be legal in Ohio, according to Gambling Law US. Gambling services that directly debit the gambler's bank account or use virtual cash that he may redeem at any time, for example, are not covered by federal or state law.