Some major changes could be on the way to Ohio’s sports betting market. Several Republican lawmakers introduced a pair of bills to ban online sports betting.
Furthermore, the plan would also ban wagering on college athletics and severely restrict the types of bets allowed. The lawmakers said they introduced the bills to help curb gambling addiction and to protect the integrity of sports in the state.
“When you combine the addiction of gambling with the addiction of one of these devices,” said Rep. Gary Click (R), pointing to a smartphone, “it’s synergistic in a bad way.”
Legislation Would Also Cap Bets At $100
The first bill introduced by Click prohibits in-game betting, parlays, prop bets, and college sports wagers. Republican Reps. Johnathan Newman, Riordan McClain, and Kevin Ritter also signed onto the bill.
The second bill bans betting online or on a mobile device, and stops the use of credit cards to fund betting accounts.
Bets would also be capped at $100, and only eight bets per 24 hours would be permitted. Sportsbook bonuses to lure players into signing up and advertising during live sports broadcasts would also be prohibited.
If approved, the bill would be a major reversal in the state, which legalized sports betting in 2021. According to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the state collected a record $209 million in tax revenue in 2025, with handle reaching $10.3 billion. Those numbers could drop dramatically if online betting was banned.
The legislation follows Gov. Mike DeWine (R) expressing regret about legalizing sports betting after a major betting scandal came to light in November involving two Cleveland Guardians pitchers.
“Look, we’ve always had gambling, we’re always going to have gambling,” DeWine told the Associated Press. “But just the power of these companies and the deep, deep, deep pockets they have to advertise and do everything they can to get someone to place that bet is really different once you have legalization of them.”
Strong Opposition Expected
Seeing the bills become law may be an uphill battle. McClain told local media that the plan has received mixed reviews, even among lawmakers in his own party. He also noted that DeWine disagrees with some aspects of the proposals.
Critics point to government overreach and also argue that making online wagering illegal would simply drive bettors to unregulated, offshore gaming sites.
In other state sports betting news, Oregon approved a DraftKings product that allows bettors to wager on past events. South Carolina gubernatorial candidates also recently expressed mixed views on the issue of expanding gambling in the state.
