The Ohio Casino Control Commission awarded licenses to professional sports teams throughout the state, including to FC Cincinnati, the city’s entry in MLS.
Sports betting could begin as early as January 1 in the state, and the team has announced a partnership with SuperBook Sports to operate a mobile app, Co-CEO Jeff Berding said.
The Cincinnati Bengals announced a partnership with bookmaker Betfred, making them the team’s official sportsbook.
FC Cincinnati chose SuperBook Sport because the bookmaker is headquartered in America, and has a user-friendly reputation, Berding said. Berding was one of the strongest advocates for Ohio pro teams to receive licenses, a marriage that has worked well in Europe, where he spent time.
Berding said the intent is to drive fan-friendly engagement.
“It’s a big part of the soccer ecosystem in Europe. It adds a lot of excitement that people can enjoy in how they consume sports,” Berding told The Cincinnati Enquirer September 21. “And what I understood from my time in Europe is it really adds a level of engagement. In this country, in Major League Soccer, we’re still building engagement. We’re still looking for ways to engage sports fans who may not be soccer fans and my thought was sports betting could be a vehicle.”
The FC Cincinnati phone app allows users to wager within Ohio’s borders. And Ohioans won’t have to drive to Indiana to bet in a retail location.
FC Cincinnati also expects to develop a sports betting bar north of the stadium, Berding said.
Berding was quick to call upon the league’s policies and laws related to gambling.
“I am personally a believer that sports betting … has shown that it’s possible to police it effectively,” Berding said. “People violate the law, and when they do there are enormous consequences, but at the end of the day it’s something fans desire. They’re doing it, whether they’re driving out of state or doing it illicitly. I’d rather put the spotlight of sunshine on it to make it legal and put it out in the open, it’s regulated, there’s very strict policies, there’s very tough consequences and I think at the end of the day, for FC Cincinnati’s part, we have the leadership on the soccer side.”
