Ohio sports gambling has witnessed a push as Ohio Senate has introduced a sports betting bill.
Two Ohio senators drafted a bill which is all set to spark off a new debate in the parliament.
“General Assembly intends to develop and enact legislation for legalizing sports betting sports betting,” bill states.
Senator John Eklund who represent part of Geauga County dipped Ohio’s toe in the water of a sports betting.
“My sense right is, there is very likely an appetite for this in the Buckeye State,” Eklund in an interview.
For it to get green-lit, the Ohio House and Senate needs to approve it and the voters of the state need to vote for changing the state constitution.
Eklund also suggest that the earliest referendum on this will imply active sports wagering by early to mid summer.
The chief sponsor of the sports betting bill, SB 316, Senator John Eklund, R- Munson Township, said that he intended to begin a series of meetings with interested parties throughout the state.
He also favored action by lawmakers to control it rather than allowing outside interests to take the issue to the ballot.
He also believed that legalized sports betting in Ohio was inevitable.
“There is a lot of widespread interest in it and a desire for it. I think it is ultimately coming and I think we are better off using the legislative process for that to happen than the vagaries of an initiative process which is really not informed by facts, investigation and research as the legislative process will be,” Eklund said.
Eklund also said that he hoped to begin hearings on the issue in the fall with formation of a plan and additional hearings next year.