Ohio lawmakers have introduced legislation that would dismantle the state’s online sports betting market while imposing new restrictions on wagering, advertising and payment methods. House Bill 971, known as the Save Ohio Sports Act, would keep sports betting legal only at licensed retail casinos, ending statewide access to mobile sportsbooks if approved.
Republican Representatives Johnathan Newman and Beth Lear introduced the measure. If enacted, Ohio would become the first state to repeal online sports betting following the overturning of PASPA.
Proposal Would Leave Only Retail Sports Betting
The legislation would require bettors to visit licensed casino sportsbooks to place wagers, with mobile platforms geofenced to those properties instead of operating statewide.
Supporters argue that the rapid expansion of online betting has increased gambling-related harm and requires stronger safeguards.
“Monetizing addiction to fund public education is the wrong direction for Ohio,” said HB 971 co-sponsor Rep. Jonathan Newman. “Who wins when predatory gambling preys on the vulnerable? It’s not our schools; that’s for sure! It’s the trillion-dollar big gambling companies who win. How is this good for Ohio?”
The proposal also makes extensive changes to the types of wagers permitted. In-play betting, player proposition markets, parlays and all college sports betting would be prohibited, leaving only single-game wagers available through retail sportsbooks.
Individual betting activity would also face new limits. Customers could wager no more than $100 on a single bet and would be restricted to eight wagers during any 24-hour period.
Advertising And Payment Rules Face Tighter Controls
HB 971 introduces additional restrictions on gambling advertising by preventing sportsbook promotions inside collegiate sporting venues and during live sports broadcasts.
The bill also prohibits credit cards from funding sportsbook accounts. Instead, bettors would be limited to methods such as bank transfers, wire transfers, promotional credits and gambling winnings. The proposal follows a May amendment from the Ohio Casino Control Commission seeking the same restriction.
Rep. Beth Lear said the legislation focuses on limiting gambling-related harm, particularly among younger people.
“Gambling is the No. 1 addiction that leads to suicide,” Lear said. “Online gambling companies are in an aggressive pay-to-play game with the Ohio Legislature, hoping to expand their profits on the backs of Ohioans with the ‘carrot’ of providing extra tax money for the government. This legislation makes it clear: our kids, their physical and mental well-being, are not for sale.”
Debate Follows Strong Growth In Online Wagering
Ohio launched legal sports betting in 2023, with online wagering accounting for more than 98% of total betting handle in recent reporting periods. Sports betting taxes generated more than $200 million in operator tax revenue during 2025, while retail wagering represented only a small share of the market.
Governor Mike DeWine has previously criticised sports betting expansion, describing its legalization as his “biggest regret” and later stating that “Ohio shouldn’t have done it.” He has also supported eliminating proposition betting.
HB 971 has not yet been assigned to a House committee. Before becoming law, the legislation must pass both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly and receive the governor’s approval.
Source:
“Ohio Lawmakers Advance Bill to Ban Online Sports Betting and Tighten Gambling Rules”, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, July
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