Bingo is not illegal in Ohio, but there is no state law regulating or sanctioning the game.
In 2006, the Ohio General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing the social, charitable, and educational benefits of bingo. However, there is no law regulating or sanctioning the game.
Bingo is considered a game of chance and is therefore subject to state gambling regulations.
There have been a number of cases in which courts have determined that bingo games are gambling activities and have ordered participants to pay restitution to winners. In 2009, for example, a woman won $25,000 in bingo at a bowling alley in Cleveland and was ordered to pay $5,000 to the other players.
In 2012, a man who won $27,000 playing bingo at a church in Cincinnati was ordered to repay the money to the church.
In Ohio, it is illegal to operate a bingo game without a license from the state gambling commission. There is no fee for a license, but applicants must provide proof of insurance coverage for losses sustained by players in their games.
