Ohio Republicans Propose to Confine Sports Wagering to Land-Based Casinos

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Ohio Republicans are moving to roll back one of the state’s fastest-growing gambling segments by confining wagering to the state’s four full-service casinos.

Ohio tables new bill to limit sports betting to casinos
Key Takeaways:
  • Ohio lawmakers introduce the Save Ohio Sports Act to restrict online sports betting
  • The bill aims to limit wagers, ban credit card deposits, and confine betting to casinos
  • Critics warn it could reduce state funding and overlook consumer freedom concerns

Reps. Riordan McClain, Gary Click and Johnathan Newman said they plan to introduce the Save Ohio Sports Act, a proposal that would shut down online sports betting and confine wagering to the casinos.

The proposal, called Save Ohio Sports Act, was tabled at a press conference in Columbus, Ohio.

The measure would also cap individual bets at $100, limit players to eight wagers a day, and bar credit card deposits, free bets, parlays, in-game markets and college-event betting.

Local Backing and Betting Market Numbers

The lawmakers framed the bill as a consumer-protection and sports-integrity effort. McClain told reporters, “I want to know that the outcome is determined on the field of play, not by the gambling markets.” 

The Center for Christian Virtue, a Columbus-based faith group, helped promote the proposal and shape its language. 

“To combat this growing crisis, CCV is backing the Save Ohio Sports Act” the group said in a statement on Tuesday. 

But the idea immediately drew pushback from Sen. Nathan Manning, who in a message to Gaming Insider called the bill “short-sighted”. He also warned that it would erode personal freedom and reduce funding for schools and problem-gambling services.

Ohio’s sports betting market has continued to generate substantial handle. In January alone, the state recorded over $1 billion in total wagers, with the vast majority placed online rather than at retail locations. 

Mobile betting consistently accounts for more than 95% of total handle, highlighting the dominance of digital channels in driving revenue.