Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who signed the bill legalizing sports betting in 2021, now says he wishes he had never done so. Following scandals involving Ohio athletes, the second-term Republican said he “absolutely” regrets opening the door to an industry with “deep, deep, deep pockets” and aggressive marketing. “Look, we’ve always had gambling, we’re always going to have gambling,” he said. “Ohio shouldn’t have done it.”
Prop Bets Under Scrutiny
DeWine has shifted from supporter to reformer, helping broker an agreement between Major League Baseball and authorized betting operators to cap pitch-level prop bets at $200 and exclude them from parlays. This came shortly after Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase were indicted for allegedly manipulating pitches for gambling purposes. Both have pleaded not guilty.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred credited DeWine, saying, “Gov. DeWine really did a huge service, I think — to us, certainly, I can’t speak for any of the other sports — in terms of kind of bringing forward the need to do something in this area.” DeWine said he would prefer to eliminate micro-prop bets entirely but called MLB’s measure “progress.” “It needs to be holistic, it needs to be universal,” he said. “They’re just playing with fire. I mean, they are just asking for more and more trouble, their failure to address this.”
Gambling Industry Influence
DeWine’s change of heart is striking given the law he signed allowed adults 21 and over to wager online, in casinos, racinos, and at sports venues on professional leagues, college sports including Ohio State football, and global events such as the Olympics.
Industry contributions were substantial. An AP investigation found nearly $1 million donated to the Republican Governors Association in 2021 and 2022 from operators, gaming tech companies, and lobbyists, while $22,000 went directly to DeWine’s campaign. Recent filings show that lobbyists and PACs connected to DraftKings, FanDuel, MGM, Caesars, and others gave roughly $130,000 to state legislators over three years, a third of it to top House and Senate leaders.
Some lawmakers continue to defend prop wagers. House Finance Chair Brian Stewart said in August, “I think that prop bets are a significant part of sports betting in the state of Ohio… I don’t think there’s something that we should eliminate entirely.”
From Harassment to Integrity Concerns
DeWine’s concerns emerged soon after betting launched in 2023, when reports of gamblers harassing University of Dayton players reached his office. He collaborated with NCAA President Charlie Baker to remove collegiate prop bets, a change adopted by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) in early 2024.
After the Guardians scandal, DeWine approached Manfred about similar action, leveraging his family’s long-time ownership of the Asheville Tourists. He said he would sign a repeal of Ohio’s betting law if it reached his desk but acknowledged the political reality: “There’s not the votes for that. I’m not always right, but I can pretty much guarantee you that they’re not ready to do this.”
For now, DeWine will continue advocating for league and regulator action.
Source:
“Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a law legalizing sports betting. He now says he’s opposed to it”, apnews.com, November 24, 2025
The post DeWine Regrets Ohio’s Sports Betting Law as Scandals Multiply first appeared on RealMoneyAction.com.