Ohio Lawmakers Consider Major Crackdown on Sports Betting

The Buckeye State is considering a historic crackdown on sports betting.

State House Representatives Jonathan Newman and Beth Lear introduced HB 971 on Wednesday, which proposes major new restrictions for Ohio’s sports betting market. The bill, dubbed the Save Ohio Sports Act, aims to protect the integrity of sports and Buckeye bettors.

The most significant proposal is a full ban on mobile sports betting, which generates the vast majority of the state's gambling tax revenue.

HB 971 would also enact the following bans:

• Betting on all college sports

• Live betting

• All player prop bets

• Sportsbook advertising during games

• All parlays

• Lottery sports betting kiosks

While the bill proposed extreme changes, its sponsors believe drastic action is needed.

"Gambling is the number one addiction that leads to suicide - 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,” Rep. Lear shared in a statement. “This legislation makes it clear: our kids, their physical and mental well-being, are not for sale," 

If the bill passes, Ohio would become the first state to reverse its legalization of online sports betting.

Effort Has Support, But Faces Long Odds

Discussions over cracking down on sports betting aren’t anything new in Ohio. 

Governor Mike DeWine has publicly expressed regret for his role in legalizing mobile betting. He has pushed for bans on all prop bets and been a vocal opponent of the industry as his final term comes to a close. While several lawmakers have shared his concerns, there is one big hurdle that makes HB 971’s passage unlikely.

As with all US markets, Ohio bettors overwhelmingly choose to use online sportsbooks rather than visit brick-and-mortar locations. According to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, mobile betting has already generated just under $430 million in 2026, while retail betting has generated only $5.2 million. 

As a result, the bill would essentially erase the tax revenue Ohio sees from the industry. Considering it generated over $200 million in 2025 alone, it will be hard to sway even sympathetic lawmakers to support a ban on mobile betting.