Licensing

Licensing: What We Do

Licensing Phone Number: 614-387-5688
CAC.Licensing@casinocontrol.ohio.gov

FAQS about Casino Gaming Employee License Renewals

Every casino operator, casino employee and gaming vendor must be licensed by the Commission prior to participating in the casino gaming business in Ohio. The state’s Casino Control Law requires all persons applying for licensure to establish their suitability by clear and convincing evidence.

The Commission’s licensing division conducts investigations and determines whether applicants are eligible for licensure. License applicants include casino operators, management companies, gaming-related vendors, key employees and casino gaming employees. All suitability investigations result in a recommendation to the Commission to either grant or deny a license following an extensive background check.

Once a license is granted it is valid for a period of three years and then must be renewed. During this period, the Commission has the authority to reopen a licensing investigation at any time. This ensures that Ohio licensees remain suitable to conduct or participate in the casino gaming business.

Steps to Obtain License

If you are seeking a Casino Gaming Employee license in connection with an offer of employment with a casino in Ohio:

1. Please consult with your prospective employer for specific instructions on how and where to file your application.

2. You do not need to enclose payment at the time you file the application. Your prospective employer has agreed to pay the application fee on your behalf. However, depending upon company policies that are wholly outside the control of the Commission, your employer may choose to seek reimbursement from you for the amount of the fee paid on your behalf.

If you are seeking a Casino Gaming Employee license and you have not been offered employment with a casino:

1. Contact the Commission’s Division of Licensing & Investigations at (614) 387-5688 or toll free at (855) 800-0058 for more information about the submission of a completed application and all attachments, the criminal records check, and all associated fees, including the amount and acceptable methods of payment.

Looking for a list of individuals and/or entities licensed by the Commission?

Go to eLicense and use the 'Verify a License' feature.

A list of holding companies licensed by the Commission can be found here.

Have you or your spouse served in the US military?

Senate Bill 7 provides temporary or permanent reciprocity for an individual on military duty in Ohio or that individual’s spouse if the individual holds a license to practice the trade issued by any other state or jurisdiction, the individual is in good standing in that state or jurisdiction, and the individual provides adequate proof of the military duty or the spouses’ military duty. Further, the law also instructs the Commission to expedite the licensure process for military-related individuals, including service members, veterans, and spouses or surviving spouses of service members or veterans.

The Military Status Form should accompany all casino-gaming-employee or key-employee applications for individuals that fall into any of the categories mentioned above. This form, along with the required documentation, will provide the Commission with the necessary information to determine an individual’s eligibility for reciprocity or to have their license application expedited.

Disqualifying Offense List & Request for Licensing Disqualification Information

Pursuant to House Bill 263 of the 133^rd General Assembly, also known as the Fresh Start Act, a list of criminal offenses for which a conviction, judicial finding of guilt, or plea of guilty may disqualify an individual from obtaining an initial license issued by the Commission can be found here.

An individual who has been convicted of any criminal offense may request, at any time, that the Commission determine whether the conviction disqualifies the individual from obtaining a license issued by the Commission. R.C. 9.78. To do so, an individual must complete the Request for Licensing Disqualification Information Form. Once completed, the Form may be sent to the Commission in any of the manners indicated on the Form. Upon receipt of a complete Form, the Commission has up to 30 days to inform the individual, based on the criminal-record information submitted, if the individual is disqualified from licensure. The Commission is not bound by this determination; if, through further investigation, the Commission determines that the individual’s criminal history differs from the information presented in the Form.

Please note that a disqualification may be, but is not guaranteed to be, overcome if the individual applying for the license or, as applicable, the individual’s employee, holds a certificate of qualification for employment issued under R.C. 2953.25 or a certificate of achievement and employability issued under R.C. 2961.22 of the Revised Code. As such, please attach and submit as part of the Request for Licensing Disqualification Form any such certificates you may have received.

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