How to stop sports betting in Ohio, in four steps
- Enroll in Time Out Ohio at timeoutohio.com. It's open 24/7 and takes your ID, your Social Security number and a camera.
- Delete the sportsbook apps and block them on your phone, so more of what Time Out Ohio misses is blocked too.
- Call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966, or start no-cost video counseling with the Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network.
- Find a Gamblers Anonymous meeting near you, and point your family to Gam-Anon.
Facts on this page were checked in October 2026 against Time Out Ohio and Ohio's state-backed support services. For the general plan that works in any state, see how to stop gambling.
Time Out Ohio at a glance
Time Out Ohio is the state's voluntary self-ban. The Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery Commission run it together (Time Out Ohio FAQ).
| Covers | Ohio's 4 casinos, its 7 racinos (video lottery terminal tracks), every sportsbook, and all sports betting by licensed operators, including their apps |
|---|---|
| Terms | A minimum of 1 year, a minimum of 5 years, or a lifetime |
| Where to enroll | Online at timeoutohio.com, any time of day, or with Commission staff at any Ohio casino or racino |
| What you need | A government photo ID, your full Social Security number, and a device with a camera |
| What you give up | All points, comps and promo credits at Ohio casinos, racinos and sportsbooks |
| If you break it | You hand over chips, tickets and winnings, you are removed, and you can be charged with criminal trespassing |
| Outside Ohio | Some operators apply the ban at their properties in other states. Ask each one. |
Enrolling: what to expect
- Open the Time Out Ohio portal and start an enrollment. You can't enroll while you're under the influence of any substance.
- Take a photo of your ID and of yourself, and enter your full Social Security number. The site uses these to confirm it's really you.
- Choose your term. You can't shorten it once it starts. You can sign up again later to extend it.
- If the site can't confirm your identity, your status shows as pending. Email [email protected] for a video appointment, or bring your ID to any Ohio casino or racino.
Once you're enrolled, the casinos and sportsbooks have to make reasonable efforts to stop marketing to you (Time Out Ohio).
What Time Out Ohio doesn't reach
Time Out Ohio works through Ohio's licensed operators. Anything outside that system isn't on the list:
- Ohio Lottery tickets and scratch-offs. They aren't among the places the program covers.
- Offshore betting sites and sweepstakes casinos, which aren't licensed in Ohio.
- Prediction market apps that let you trade on game outcomes.
- Casinos in other states, unless the company that owns them applies your Ohio ban there.
This is where your phone matters. NoGambling blocks the betting apps you pick through Apple's Screen Time. Since version 1.3.0 it also blocks the most popular gambling sites in your country in Safari. In the US that list includes the big sportsbooks, offshore books like Bovada, sweepstakes casinos like Stake.us and Chumba, and prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. Blocking needs iOS 16 or later. More on the phone side: how to block betting sites on iPhone.
Free help in Ohio
- Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-589-9966. You can ask to be transferred to a problem gambling specialist. Live chat is linked from the Time Out Ohio site.
- Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network: counseling by video with providers trained in gambling problems, for people anywhere in Ohio. It does not turn away or bill uninsured clients. Call 614-750-9877 (OhioGTN.org).
- GamFin financial counseling: sessions with a financial counselor who knows gambling debt, at no cost to Ohioans and funded by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Partners and family can use it too (GamFin). Our gambling debt payoff plan covers the basics.
- Gamblers Anonymous: find Ohio meetings at Gamblers Anonymous Ohio, or call the GA hotline at 855-2CALLGA (855-222-5542).
- Gam-Anon: meetings for family and friends in the Gam-Anon directory.
- Check your own risk: Ohio's Pause Before You Play campaign has a two-minute risk quiz (PauseBeforeYouPlay.org).
The first month without betting
Time Out Ohio is a strong barrier, not a guarantee. The first weeks are still hard, because the game is still on TV and the habit is still there.
NoGambling's panic button is for the moment an urge hits during a game. It takes you through six steps: your streak and what betting has cost you, 4-4-4 breathing, a reason to stop, naming the urge, how urges rise and fall, and a drafted text you can send to someone you trust. Each urge you log builds a history, so you can see your own patterns over time, until a relapse reset clears it. The 30-Day Recovery Path gives you something short to do each day. The savings tracker shows what you keep by not betting.
NoGambling is free to try. After that you pick a monthly, yearly or one-time lifetime plan, with prices shown on the App Store. For more on sports betting in general, see how to stop sports betting.
Ohio questions
How do I sign up for Time Out Ohio?
Go to timeoutohio.com and start an enrollment. You need a government photo ID, your full Social Security number and a phone or computer with a camera. If the site can't confirm who you are, you can email [email protected] for a video appointment or see Commission staff at any Ohio casino or racino.
Does Time Out Ohio cover DraftKings and FanDuel?
It covers all sports betting run by Ohio's licensed sportsbooks, in person and in their apps. Some operators also apply the ban at their properties in other states. It does not reach offshore sites, sweepstakes casinos or prediction markets, because they are not licensed in Ohio.
How long does Time Out Ohio last?
You choose a minimum term of one year, five years or a lifetime. You can't shorten a term once it starts, but you can sign up again to extend it.
What happens if I gamble while I'm in Time Out Ohio?
If you are found at a casino, racino or sportsbook, you must hand over any chips, tickets and winnings, and that money goes to problem gambling services. You will be removed and can be charged with criminal trespassing.
What is the Ohio problem gambling hotline number?
The Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-589-9966. You can also call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), which is free, confidential and open 24/7.
Is there free gambling counseling in Ohio?
Yes. The Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network offers counseling by video, and it does not bill uninsured clients. GamFin offers financial counseling at no cost to Ohioans, funded by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Checked October 2026.
Other states
Block what Time Out Ohio can't
Block the betting apps you pick and the most popular gambling sites in Safari, get through game-day urges, and watch the money add up. Free to try, then monthly, yearly or a one-time lifetime purchase.
Free to try on the App Store → iOS 15.1 or later (blocking needs iOS 16+) · Free to try · Lifetime purchase option · No email needed to start