Ohio Bill To Ban Online Sports Betting, Set Limitations on In-Person Betting

• Two Ohio House of Representatives members officially introduced the Save Ohio Sports Act
• HB 971 will prohibit online sports betting, limit in-person bets to a maximum of $100, and prohibit all prop bets
• Several House of Representatives members announced details of the bill in April, but did not introduce until now

Two Ohio House of Representatives members are seeking to radically alter the Buckeye State’s sports betting landscape.

Reps. Johnathan Newman (R-80) and Beth Lear (R-61) recently introduced the Save Ohio Sports Act, HB 971, which will prohibit Ohio online sports betting, limit sports betting to land-based casinos, and cap maximum betting amounts at $100.

“Monetizing addiction to fund public education is the wrong direction for Ohio. Who wins when predatory gambling preys on the vulnerable? It’s not our schools; that’s for sure!” Newman said in a released statement. “It’s the trillion-dollar big gambling companies who win. How is this good for Ohio?”

Details Released in April

Newman held a press conference in April announcing details of the Save Ohio Sports Act, but did not officially introduce the legislation until June 29. Newman spoke at length about the bill with fellow Reps. Riordan McClain (R-87) and Gary Click (R-88), both of whom are not listed as current co-sponsors of the legislation.

The most prohibitive piece of the bill is a complete ban of online sports betting in Ohio. According to the official bill language, if approved the new law will prohibit online sports betting in Ohio, issue a ban on all prop bets, eliminate parlays, ban all in-game betting, and ban bets on collegiate wagering.

The Save Ohio Sports Act will also do the following:

• Limit all sports betting to Ohio’s four land-based casinos
• Restrict customers to a maximum of $100 per bet
• Only allow customers to place eight bets within a 24-hour period
• Eliminate the use of credit cards to place bets
• Ban companies from offering free bets or risk-free bets
• Ban all sports-betting advertisements during live broadcasts of professional sports and in professional sports venues

“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. This legislation makes it clear: our kids, their physical and mental well-being, are not for sale,” Lear said in a press release.

One of Gov. DeWine’s Biggest Regrets is Sports Betting

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has publicly expressed his displeasure with the state’s legalized sports betting market on numerous occasions. In November, DeWine went as far as telling the AP he regrets signing a bill to legalize sports betting in the Buckeye State.

“Look, we’ve always had gambling, we’re always going to have gambling,” DeWine told The Associated Press in November 2025. “But just the power of these companies and the deep, deep, deep pockets they have to advertise and do everything they can to get someone to place that bet is really different once you have legalization of them.”

DeWine has also led a push to ban all prop bets in Ohio.