Ohio Tops GeoComply List

Residents of the Buckeye state responded impressively after the opening up of the regulated online sports betting market, with Ohio on top when it comes to data recorded by GeoComply for the number of bets made.

GeoComply, which is an anti-fraud solutions provider and geo-locator, revealed that the New Year’s weekend saw 11.3 million transactions recorded between midnight New Year’s Day and 11:59 pm, 24 hours later.

Impressively, this figure surpasses the current record that was held in New York (9.3 million) in addition to Pennsylvania’s 8.2m, the 6.7m monitored in New Jersey plus Michigan’s 5.8m.

We are thrilled to welcome another state into the regulated online sports betting sector. As expected, residents of the Buckeye State enthusiastically greeted the market at the moment the calendar changed over to 2023.
Today, about 44 percent of the American population can bet online with legal and responsible operators. The launch of regulated online sports betting in Ohio will better protect its citizens, with an increased commitment to responsible gambling and new funding for critical state programs.

Lindsay SladerSVP of Compliance GeoComply

What Does This Signal for the Future?

For the last year, most of the talk in the US online gambling and sports betting industry has been surrounding the state of New York and how much of an impact this can have on the US as a whole.

Many industry insiders believed (and, by all accounts, still do) that this can become the number one state when it comes to betting volume and revenues over the next few years, though it has been challenged significantly over the last 12 months, with both Michigan and Pennsylvania having their say.

Now Ohio appears to have emerged as an unlikely challenger, though there may well be more to this than meets the eye. From a sports betting stance, Ohio has a considerable amount going for it, with some of the most popular sports franchises in the US.

It plays home to the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati NFL franchises, in addition to the hugely popular Cleveland Cavaliers NBA side, plus at least half a dozen more.

As such, it is perhaps no surprise why there were so many registered users over the New Year’s weekend - especially considering the action-packed sporting calendar on that weekend.

What this may mean over the coming months remains to be seen. Of course, New York itself has its fair share of sports franchises, and this could be an interesting story to unfold over the next year. Of course, a vote is still pending in California for the approval of mobile sports betting, with this playing home to at least a dozen popular sports franchises, in addition to being the most populous state in the union. Watch this space.