Ohio passes sports betting expansion bill
The Ohio Senate has passed a bill to legalise sports betting online and at casinos, racinos and at bars and restaurants with machines.
US.- Sports betting in all its forms has been approved by the Ohio Senate in a 30 to 2 vote.
The new legislation allows people in Ohio to bet on sports, whether professional, collegiate or the Olympics.
Under this scheme, there will be three types of licences:
- Online gaming businesses. Includes companies that offer mobile apps and will be regulated by the Casino Control Commission’s control. Up to 25 type A licences will be issued.
- Brick-and-mortar casinos, racinos and sportsbook businesses. Also regulated by the Casino Control Commission. There will be up to 33 type B licences and each county may have up to three licensees, depending on its size.
- Self-service terminals at bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and similar liquor permit holders. These will be regulated by the Ohio Lottery. Only 20 licences will be issued, and there will be a limit of US$200 a day for bets through the same credit or debit card.
The Fair Gaming Coallition of Ohio’s Greg Beswick said: “Right now, 10,700 businesses in all 88 counties have the opportunity to be able to provide this through the lottery. That can be done through the kiosks that are set up, through Kino.
“It’s giving a monopoly to the four entities again, the casinos around the state, instead of cutting it into 10,700 small businesses.”
Senator Niraj Antani said: “Sports provides that intangible in our society. It’s with your friends, watching the Bengals throw that Hail Mary at the end of the game.
“Watching the Cavaliers drain that buzzer beater, or watching the Reds, one run down at the bottom of the ninth, with a man on third and the batter with a full count. It’s about rooting for the home team in a very, very divisive time in our society.”
