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In what would be a major shakeup to Ohio’s sports betting landscape, a group of House Republicans launched a legislative package on April 8 to ban mobile betting and wagers on college sports. Known as the Save Ohio Sports Act, the proposal would sharply restrict wagering just three years after its legalization in the Buckeye State.
‘Save Ohio Sports Act’ proposes sweeping changes
The legislation, spearheaded by Reps. Gary Click, R-Vickery, Riordan McClain, R-Upper Sandusky, and Johnathan Newman, R-Troy, aims to curb what they describe as a growing public health crisis. The bill would eliminate online sports betting, requiring all wagers to be placed in person at one of the state’s four licensed casinos.
Key provisions of the act include:
- Betting Limits: A $100 maximum per wager and a “Rule of 8”—capping bettors at eight wagers within 24 hours.
- Prohibited Bets: A total ban on prop bets, parlays, in-game wagering, and all collegiate athletics.
- Financial Restrictions: A ban on funding betting accounts with credit cards and a prohibition on “risk-free” promotional offers.
- Fiscal Impact: Analysts suggest the ban on mobile betting could cost Ohio more than $200 million annually in tax revenue, 98% of which currently funds K-12 education.
According to news by Legal Sports Report, Gov. Mike DeWine said in January that signing the 2021 bill to legalize sports gambling 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. “Any control we can get over this, anything that we can do, we should be doing.”
Bill receives pushback from Democrats, industry outlets
While Republicans cite addiction concerns, Democrats and industry organizations are aligning against the measure. Senate Minority Whip Kent Smith, D-Euclid, said the bill ignores the reality of the modern market. “Ohioans have already made their opinion clear… they want to be able to gamble on sports,” Smith said, according to WKYC news.
Smith also accused proponents of using a federal investigation into Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz as a “political cudgel.” The two players were indicted in late 2025 for allegedly rigging pitches in exchange for bribes from bettors—a scandal centered on the very prop bets this bill seeks to ban.
“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. “Do we need to be mindful of the integrity of the game? Yes. But you can’t use that as an excuse to get rid of online sports gambling.”
The Save Ohio Sports Act has not yet been assigned to a committee. Ohio’s legislative session runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
