Sports betting overhaul would ban mobile bets, college wagering in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A group of Republican lawmakers is proposing sweeping changes to sports betting in Ohio, aiming to curb what they describe as a growing public health concern.

The proposal — known as the “Save Ohio Sports Act” — would ban online sports betting, eliminate prop bets and cap individual wagers at $100.

Supporters say the goal is twofold: protecting consumers and preserving the integrity of the game.

“I want to know that the outcome is determined on the field of play — not by the gambling markets,” Rep. Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) said during a Statehouse press conference.

The push comes as concerns about gambling addiction continue to grow.

According to the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio, there has been a noticeable increase in people seeking help since sports betting launched in the state in 2023.

“We’ve seen a lot more engagement in both calls to the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline, as well as searches for gambling help in Ohio,” Executive Director Derek Longmeier said. 

The organization says several elements of the proposed legislation, including restricting credit card use, align with what advocates have been calling for.

The debate also comes as Ohio’s top elected official reflects on the state’s decision to legalize sports betting.

At a January editorial board meeting at 3News media partner Cleveland.com, Gov. Mike DeWine said signing the law was a mistake.

“People have asked me what mistakes did you make — and I’ll lead with signing a bill for sports gaming,” DeWine said in the meeting. "Any control we can get over this anything that we can do we should be doing." 

Still, not everyone supports rolling back legal betting to this extent.

Ohio Senate Minority Whip Kent Smith (D-Euclid) said while certain restrictions like limiting prop bets may be reasonable, the broader proposal goes too far.

“Ohioans have already made their opinion clear and that they want to be able to gamble on sports,” Smith said. 

The conversation around prop bets has gained renewed attention following a scandal involving members of the Cleveland Guardians, where pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are accused of manipulating specific in-game bets.

Smith says concerns about game integrity should be addressed — but not used to justify eliminating online betting entirely.

"I think they're using the problem that we all recognize from the prop bets and expanding it out to try to get rid of the whole thing," Smith said. "I don't think that's what Ohioans are looking for. Do we need to be mindful of the integrity of the game? Yes. Should we probably make sure we can fine tune that? Yeah, probably. But you can't use that as an excuse up rid of online sports gambling."

Betting USA also released the following statement to 3News on Friday: 

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/ohio/sports-betting-bill-ohio-wager-limits-republican-lawmakers-gambling-addiction-statehouse/95-e79af049-51e9-4d2a-90d5-47b21f99dc89