Since the approval of sports betting in Ohio, the word that comes to mind in their system is “fluid.” Established at the end of 2021, it took almost 15 months to go live.
Lawmakers had to decide whether to put the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) in charge or the state lottery. The lottery provides money for education. The commission funds go towards education and sports/extracurricular activity, according to Ohio Capital Journal.
Lawmakers decided to split the pot but wound up heavily favoring the OCCC, which oversees sports gaming at brick-and-mortar casinos and the online sportsbooks which make up the vast majority of wagers. The lottery, meanwhile, runs a small corner of sports betting via kiosks set up at sports bars. 75 percent went to the proprietors.
At the outset, online sportsbooks flooded airwaves with promotional ads. In Ohio, three sportsbooks received fines for violations for overstepping their bounds.
When it came to the ads, Governor Mike DeWine made no secret about his distaste for the sportsbooks’ aggressive approach. In his budget proposal, DeWine groused about eliminating free or risk-free bets from the promotions.
DeWine also asked for the tax rate to double from 10 to 20 percent which would add as much as $175 million to the state. The budget had a clause to prevent people from gambling if they threaten athletes.
Legislators scrapped the tax plan and the promotional crackdown. But they agreed to expand the number of brick and mortar sportsbooks from five to seven. Eligibility for kiosks also expanded to include breweries, wineries, or distilleries with restaurants on-site.
The House hopes to cap the amount for extracurricular funding at $15 million, while expanding the amount for education, The House adds 3 percent funding for sports programs for those with disabilities.
