Ohio sports betting could look nothing like the market that launched in 2023 if House Bill 971 advances. The proposal would push legal wagering back into retail shops and remove the products that drive most betting activity.
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Ohio built one of the largest sports betting markets in the US around mobile apps. HB 971 would cut that model down to retail betting only.
Republican Rep. Johnathan Newman and Beth Lear introduced the bill with support from eight other Republican representatives. The proposal has not yet gone to a House committee. It would need approval from the House and Senate before it could reach Gov. Mike DeWine.
The revenue gap would be immediate. Ohio sportsbooks generated more than $1 billion in revenue last year, creating almost $210 million in state tax revenue at a 20 percent rate. Through the first five months of 2026, sports betting has already sent nearly $90 million to the state. Retail betting produced only about $1 million of that year to date tax total.
The bill does not stop at online betting. It would also remove college sports, parlays, player props, and live markets. That would hit high volume categories at once, especially in a state with major college fan interest and strong mobile betting activity.
Ohio already banned college player props in 2024 after the NCAA asked states for restrictions. DeWine has since gone further in public comments, saying he opposes all player props. That stance gained more attention after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were arrested and charged over alleged pitch manipulation tied to betting.
HB 971 also targets how people fund and place bets. Bettors could not use credit cards or borrowed money. They would face a $100 individual wager cap and a limit of eight bets in 24 hours. Advertising and promotions would also face new limits.
“Monetizing addiction to fund public education is the wrong direction for Ohio,” Newman said in a statement. “Who wins when predatory gambling preys on the vulnerable? It’s not our schools; that’s for sure! It’s the trillion-dollar big gambling companies who win. How is this good for Ohio?”
Lear framed the bill around youth and mental health.
“Gambling is the No. 1 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,” Lear said. “This legislation makes it clear: our kids, their physical and mental well-being, are not for sale.”