Ohio Sports Betting Bill Advances Out Of Senate

The Ohio senate passed a bill that would legalize sports betting within the Buckeye State Wednesday afternoon by a whopping 30-2 margin with one senator abstaining from the vote.

The invoice now heads to the home and if it passes by the decrease chamber, it is going to head to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk the place it might be signed into legislation. Earlier this 12 months, DeWine referred to as legalized sports activities betting “inevitable,” making it possible he would signal the laws into legislation.

According to a report from the Cincinnati Enquirer, SB 176 handed after a number of months of hearings on the difficulty. The invoice that ultimately handed would permit for each on-line and retail sports activities betting throughout the state’s borders.

It places 58 sports activities betting licenses up for grabs, with 33 allotted for brick-and-mortar amenities and one other 25 out there for on-line or cell wagering. Casinos, racinos, skilled sports activities franchises, and different companies might apply for a retail license, however the $1 million charge will preserve smaller companies from acquiring one.

In a last-minute change to the invoice, bars and eating places that promote alcohol might apply for a “Type C” license that will permit them to place as much as two sports activities betting kiosks of their companies. These licenses price a lot lower than the opposite two with a $6,000 price ticket hooked up to it, though the seller would wish to pay a $100,000 software charge, which might as soon as once more preserve smaller properties from buying it.

Most states that share a border with Ohio have already legalized sports activities betting. Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia and Pennsylvania all have launched sports activities betting markets. Kentucky is the one neighboring state with out it.

The proposal would put the Ohio Casino Control Commission answerable for distributing the licenses and regulating the market. Betting on all skilled and collegiate sporting occasions could be allowed, together with school video games that happen within the state.

Operators would pay a ten% tax charge to the state, most of which might fund the state’s public teaching programs, with 2% of it funding downside playing applications. It is estimated that passing the invoice would herald between $17 million and $23 million in extra annual tax income.

If all the things goes easily and DeWine indicators the invoice this session, the earliest Ohioans might begin putting bets could be April 1, 2022.

It’s not assured to be handed this session, nonetheless. While plainly these within the House are no less than sympathetic to sports activities betting, it’s reported that they’re already getting ready loads of adjustments to the invoice earlier than they ship it to DeWine.