Proposed legislation aims to strengthen consumer protection by banning online sports betting as well as the most popular bet types
Lawmakers in Ohio introduced legislation this week that aims to strengthen consumer protection by banning online sports betting.
State Representatives Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) and Beth Lear (R-Galena) introduced the Save Ohio Sports Act, which proposes reforms to ban high-stakes wagering, all collegiate sports betting, and other “predatory” industry practices.
The proposed legislation comprises nine measures – five focused on consumer protection and four focused on sports integrity.
The bill aims to protect the integrity of sports by prohibiting in-game betting, proposition bets, parlay bets and wagers on collegiate athletics.
It would also ban the use of debt to place bets, restrict financial inducements, and limit sports betting advertisements in venues and during live broadcasts.
In addition, the legislation would also cap individual wagers at $100, limit bettors to eight wagers within a 24-hour period, and require all sports betting to take place in person at one of Ohio’s four authorized casinos.
“Monetizing addiction to fund public education is the wrong direction for Ohio,” said Representative Newman. “Who wins when predatory gambling preys on the vulnerable? It’s not our schools; that’s for sure! It’s the trillion-dollar big gambling companies who win. How is this good for Ohio?”
Representative Lear added: “Gambling is the number one addiction that leads to suicide – online gambling companies are in an aggressive pay-to-play game with the Ohio Legislature, hoping to expand their profits on the backs of Ohioans with the ‘carrot’ of providing extra tax money for the government. This legislation makes it clear: our kids, their physical and mental well-being, are not for sale,” said Lear.
The legislation was welcomed by the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) for bringing “commonsense safeguards” to address the rapid expansion of sports betting, while preserving the integrity of athletic competition and protecting vulnerable Ohioans from “predatory gambling practices”.
“Ohio’s experiment with unrestricted sports betting has produced exactly what many feared: rising addiction, mounting financial hardship and an industry that profits when families lose,” said CCV president Aaron Baer. “The Save Ohio Sports Act doesn’t ban sports betting. It restores commonsense guardrails that put people ahead of gambling profits. We applaud Reps. Lear and Newman for leading on an issue that affects families in every corner of our state.”
Ohio’s sports wagers fell by 1 per cent year-on-year in April to $800.1 million, with online wagering generating the bulk of the total at $786.0 million. Betting revenue for the month was $89.1 million, of which $88.4 million was earned online.
The bill awaits a number and committee assignment.