Ohio House’s Proposal Would Restrict Sports Betting to Four Casinos

A new proposal introduced by Ohio lawmakers would shut down the online sports betting market, restoring unanimous control by retail casinos.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) approved legal sports betting in 2021 by signing House Bill 29. The legislation legalized wagering at online and in-person sportsbooks at casinos, racinos, professional sports venues, and verified bars and restaurants. 

However, as the state continues to be among the national leaders in annual gambling haul, the state could suddenly dial back its prolific market. Approval would make casinos the only places in Ohio with live-dealer table games, slot machines, poker, and sports betting odds.

Will Ohio ban online sports betting?

The Ohio Casino Control Commission reported $10.3 billion in total wagers during 2025, leading to more than $1 billion in gross gaming revenue. The state reaped $210 million in tax funding from sports betting alone.

One of the most attractive components of sports betting is the financial windfall that states can receive. However, DeWine and other skeptics believe that the dollar value doesn’t outweigh the negative effects experienced by common gamblers. The Governor went so far as to call signing HB29 his greatest mistake.

“It’s impossible to watch the game without being bombarded with advertisements and offers from gambling companies, particularly focused on ‘winning,’” said Rep. Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) McClain, who helped introduce the “Save Ohio Sports Act” on Wednesday. “That fact is that most bettors do not win.”

McClain also detailed the losses experienced by the masses, stating that only a fraction of sports betting participants finish with more money than with which they started.

“Only 5% of bettors are profitable, and those bettors who do win are quickly identified and often restricted by the gambling companies,” he said. “This has a real effect on Ohioans. Dollars lost from gambling are taken from families, taken from kitchen tables.”

Regrets and planned changes

McClain was joined in presenting the proposal to outlaw online sports betting by Reps. Gary Click (R-Vickery), Jonathan Newman (R-Troy), and Kevin Ritter (R-Marietta). 

McClain and Clink were both members of the Ohio House and voted against HB29 in 2021. Their voices were in the clear minority, as the bill passed 72-13 in the House and 31-1 in the Senate.

If approved, the Save Ohio Sports Act would limit sports betting to in-person wagers only at four state-approved commercial casinos. Seven racinos and all approved bars and restaurants would no longer be allowed to offer online sports betting through the Ohio Lottery’s UBetOhio Sportsbook.

Additional proposed changes would greatly limit the ability to exhibit problematic gambling behaviors. Customers would be capped at $100 wagers, and they would only be allowed to place eight wagers in one 24-hour period. Live betting, prop bets, parlays, and all odds markets for college sports would also be scrubbed from sportsbooks’ menus.

“As a fan, I want to watch highly talented individuals and teams compete at the highest levels. I want to know that the outcome is determined on the field — not by the gambling markets,” McClain said.

The exact effect on casinos’ bottom lines is unknown. Ohio does not legally require online sportsbooks to share their revenue with casino partners, although it does require market-access deals with approved businesses and locations. Revenue-sharing agreements are made in private between sportsbooks and their partners.