Google has banned the advertising of prediction market contracts and related products in Ohio, effective June 2, 2026. The update to the company's US prediction markets advertising policy makes Ohio the only state besides Nevada where such ads are now prohibited.
The change reverses Google's January 2026 position, when the company announced that prediction market ads would be permitted in every US state except Nevada. With this latest revision, Ohio joins Nevada on the prohibited list.
In June 2026, Google will update our Prediction markets policy in the United States to prohibit the advertisement of prediction markets contracts and related products ads in Ohio. Consequently, advertising of prediction markets and related products in Ohio is prohibited effective June 2, 2026.
What's still allowed
Google's policy continues to permit two categories of entities to promote prediction market products, even in restricted contexts: CFTC-registered Designated Contract Markets (DCMs), and brokerages authorized by the National Futures Association (NFA). In both cases, the advertiser must hold the relevant Google certification. The Ohio prohibition, however, removes Ohio as an eligible geography for those ads.
Ohio regulators were not given advance notice
Notably, Ohio gaming regulators were not notified of the ad ban beforehand, according to a statement obtained by Gambling Insider. The Ohio Casino Control Commission did not request the action from Google but welcomed it.
Andromeda Morrison, the OCCC's interim executive director, said: "The Ohio Casino Control Commission did not solicit any particular action from Google, but applauds Google for its efforts to ensure that marketing targeting Ohioans fully complies with Ohio law."
Part of a wider Ohio crackdown on prediction markets
The advertising ban arrives as Ohio actively contests the legality of prediction market platforms operating in the state. Ohio sent cease-and-desist orders to Kalshi, Crypto.com, and Robinhood in April 2025, arguing the platforms were offering what amounts to unlicensed sports gaming. The OCCC has continued to pursue enforcement against Kalshi specifically over its event-contract products.
Prediction markets occupy a regulatory gray zone: they let users trade contracts tied to real-world outcomes — including sports results — but operate under CFTC oversight rather than state gaming regulators. Ohio, like several other states, contends that sports-outcome contracts are functionally sports betting and therefore fall under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Casino Control Commission and its licensing regime.
What it means for Ohio bettors
For the average Ohio sports bettor, the practical impact is minimal. Legal, OCCC-licensed sportsbooks — DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, bet365, Caesars, and the rest — are unaffected by the prediction market ad ban. Their advertising and operations continue as normal.
The change mainly affects the visibility of prediction market platforms like Kalshi, which can no longer purchase Google ads targeting Ohio users. Bettors who want regulated, state-licensed sports betting should stick with the operators reviewed on this site — all of which are licensed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and legal for anyone 21 or older within state lines.
BettingInOH will continue to track Ohio's enforcement actions against prediction market platforms as the legal fight develops.