DeWine is asking the Ohio Casino Control Commission to remove proposition bets from the list of legal wagers permitted in the state.
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The Ohio House this week unveiled its version of the state’s two-year budget, which does not include Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed tax and fee increases on marijuana, tobacco and sports betting to fund various projects and tax credits.
While gambling may seem like harmless fun, it can quickly become addicting.
With more states legalizing gambling and mobile apps and websites making it more accessible than ever, sports betting continues to grow.
A bill to legalize sports betting in Ohio is headed to the governor after years of legislative wrangling. The bipartisan legislation creates three types of licenses to be overseen by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. The legislation approved this week would create licenses governing mobile wagering, gambling in brick-and-mortar operations, and bars and restaurants with gaming kiosks. The legislation, which Republican Governor Mike DeWine has said he'll sign, could cover college and professional sports with final rules set by the casino control commission. The Ohio measure is the result of negotiations that began after the U.S. Supreme Court said in 2018 that states can approve sports betting.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that individual states can set up their own rules for sports betting, and since then all the states surrounding Ohio have done so. The Ohio Senate passed their version of the bill that would have been included in the state budget, but the Ohio House wanted more time to discuss the details. The biggest area to be worked out is the number of licenses that will be issued for sports betting. Each of Ohio’s professional sports teams would like their own licenses and so do the casinos and racinos any additional will be discussed. Ohio’s Speaker of the House expects a bill will make it to the Governor’s desk this fall.
Supporters of sports betting speaking at Lima Mayor David Berger’s weekly press briefing this morning. They say it can be a good thing for the state if controlled by the right entity. They suggest the Ohio Lottery is suited to add sports betting more than a monopoly of a few casinos in the state.
The committee is meeting weekly to learn how this would work and the impact that it could have on Ohio's economy. Both the Ohio House and Senate had legislation in the works in the last general assembly. But neither got to the governor's desk, but DeWine says it will happen. Of the states that surround Ohio, all but Kentucky has laws in place for sports betting. Michigan was the last to do so in January of 2021.
After a vote in the Ohio House of Representatives, the state could see sports gambling sooner rather than later. On a vote of 83 to 10, the House passed House Bill 194. It would legalize sports gambling online and at various institutions like casinos. Bob Cupp was one representative who voted yes on the bill. He says it makes sense now since many Ohio neighbor states have legalized it and Ohioans are leaving the state to gamble.
Ohio's public colleges and universities are asking lawmakers to prohibit betting on collegiate sports as the state moves to authorize sports wagering.
Opponents from higher education say bets on amateur athletic contests have the potential to compromise those sports.