Ohio Sports Betting Regulator to Consider Ban on Prop Bets

Ohio may be about to make a massive change to its thriving US sports betting market.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) has announced that it will be reviewing a request from Governor Mike DeWine to ban prop betting. The request comes as two members of the hometown Cleveland Guardians have been suspended over accusations of spot-fixing. While details remain limited, it is believed that both involved a form of prop betting. 

“The evidence that prop betting is harming athletics in Ohio is reaching critical mass,” DeWine shared in a press release. “The harm to athletes and the integrity of the game is clear, and the benefits are not worth the harm. The prop betting experiment in this country has failed badly.”

The Governor also called for commissioners and unions from the country’s professional sports leagues to support a national ban on professional sports betting. He cited concerns over the integrity of their sports, which is being called into question over scandals involving prop betting. If those wagers are eliminated, it will end spot-fixing.

Ohio did place a ban on player prop bets for college athletes back in February. 

AGA Warns Ban Could Have Opposite Effect

On its face, a ban on prop betting seems like a surefire way to stop a rise in spot-fixing across sports in the US. However, the American Gaming Association is warning lawmakers that it could have the opposite effect.

The AGA issued a statement opposing the proposed ban, claiming it would limit watchdogs' ability to monitor for suspicious betting patterns. If regulated online sportsbooks eliminate prop betting, it could lead more players to seek out illegal options such as offshore sportsbooks. Most of those platforms have little to no integrity monitoring, making it nearly impossible for them to detect spot-fixing.