Bill would place restrictions on sports betting

FINDLAY — A trio of Ohio lawmakers recently introduced bills to impose stricter restrictions on sports betting statewide and restore the integrity of sports. The proposed "Save Ohio Sports Act," which has yet to be assigned a bill number and is expected to be split into two separate bills for lawmakers to consider, was introduced by state Reps. Riordan McClain, R-Upper Sandusky; Gary Click, R-Vickery; and Johnathan Newman, R-Troy, at a press conference on April 8. At the press conference, the three representatives took turns speaking and explained the restrictions they wish to impose to protect Ohioans' freedom to bet while also protecting their mental health: • The first proposal was a "consumer protection package" that would ban all sports betting on mobile phones and impose limits on how much Ohioans can bet and how many times they can bet in a day, according to wlwt.com. The bill would also set a $100 limit on all wagers at casinos and ban wagers placed using credit cards. It would make "bonus bets," often used as promotional offers by sports betting companies for new customers, illegal. Additionally, there would be restrictions on sports gambling ads, preventing broadcasters from airing them at specific times statewide. • The second bill, referred to as the "sports integrity package" during the press conference, would remove all prop bets, parlay bets and mid-game bets, as well as all wagers on college sports. According to the sports gambling app DraftKings, a prop bet (or proposition bet) is a wager on an individual player or a specific event in a game or match that is not directly tied to the game's overall outcome. This type of wagering allows a person to place bets on outcomes within the game rather than on the game as a whole, e.g., point spreads, money lines, and/or totals. "We are still working through details to ensure that we have reasonable consumer protections without stripping responsible citizens of the pleasure they enjoy from responsible activities," Click said. "It a fine needle to thread." Real-life consequences During the press conference, sponsors McClain and Click both cited statistics that highlighted the negative effects of sports betting in Ohio. Some of the data points cited by the legislators include that only 5% of sports bettors make money over the long term and that more than $26 billion has been wagered in Ohio since 2023. Click referenced that calls to the National Council on Problem Gambling hotline number in January 2022 were 456, and that in January 2023, it jumped to 1,492 for mental health assistance due to problem gambling. "Is it really worth the taxes that we gain to risk people's lives, their mental health, their personal well-being, their families, their homes?" Click asked. "I don't think it is." The National Council on Problem Gambling reported that individuals with gambling disorders are up to 15 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. Bad primary bet? Click's support of sports betting regulation has possibly drawn the ire of special interest groups. According to Cleveland.com, who was quoting a report from Gongwer News Service, a super PAC spending money in Ohio House races spent about $190,000 on advertising the Ohio House 88 race, where Click, a Vickery Republican, is being challenged by Tiffin Republican Eric Watson.