Ohio bill wants to ban online sports gambling and limit it to in-person only

• Ohio sports betting bill wants to be the death knell of the industry, citing consumer protection
• The Save Ohio Sports Act cites draconian measures to eliminate what it perceives as the primary sources of harm
• Some of the proposals make sense, whereas others feel overly restrictive

A trio of Republican lawmakers has put forward a new draft law that aims to ban online gambling, roll back most of the wager types available, and restrict the activity to in-person and physical venues only.

Ohio lawmakers outline broad plan to crack down on sports gambling

While the plan appears ambitious in scope, its implementation would carry serious ramifications, including the Buckeye State losing tax revenue and giving a filip to the black market.

The lawmakers, however, do not see it this way, as they argue that sports betting is now dominating "the entire landscape" and that it has become impossible to watch sports without encountering gambling prompts.

"The fact is that most bettors do not win. Regularly referenced stats show that only five percent of bettors are profitable, and those bettors who do win are quickly identified and often restricted by gambling companies. That means that roughly 95% of Ohioans who are betting make deposits, not withdrawals," Robinson said, outlining the "Save Ohio Sports Act."

The measure seeks to end online betting altogether and to further prohibit several types of bets, including parlays, prop bets, and live betting, known as in-play.

The idea is to cut out the riskiest form of gambling to reduce gambling-related harm, while pushing consumers to land-based venues to place wagers. This way, the authors of the draft law argue, residents won’t be overwhelmed by gambling messaging.

Consumer protection front and center in newly-proposed measures

The Save Ohio Sports Act also wants to put a cap on how much sports bettors may bet - $100 per bet, as well as drive all of the activity to the four land-based casinos exclusively.

Further consumer protection measures include the introduction of an eight-bet-per-24-hour rule, which means that a person may not spend life-wrecking amounts, at least in theory.

The bill also wants to see the use of credit cards for funding sports bets eliminated, and takes issue with the "free-risk" bets.

Furthermore, the bill proposes to ban all sports betting ads during live broadcasts of pro sports and at professional sports venues, a measure inspired by overseas lawmakers who are now moving in the same direction.

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