Dozens of sportsbooks waiting on licenses in Ohio

With a little more than two months to go before sports gambling becomes legal in Ohio, some big-name sportsbooks are left waiting for their retail licenses, PlayOhio writes.

What's happening: The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) set an Oct. 5 deadline for operators that had filed incomplete applications over the summer to provide the necessary licensing information.

• While retail sportsbook applications were not addressed during the commission's Wednesday meeting, many of these applications appear to remain incomplete.

By the numbers: Ohio has licensed seven online sportsbooks, including large operators FanDuel, Caesars and PointsBet Ohio.

• That leaves 18 mobile apps awaiting decisions, per PlayOhio.
• Seventeen retail sportsbook licenses have been awarded, but nine businesses are in flux, including the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati and the Hall of Fame Village.

What they're saying: Jessica Franks, the OCCC director of communications, told PlayOhio that the commission's licensing rollout is on schedule and "the commission is issuing sports gaming licenses on a rolling basis."

What's next: There are three more OCCC meetings scheduled before the launch of Ohio sports betting on Jan. 1.