Ohio state Senator John Eklund and state Rep. Dave Greenspan will sponsor sports betting legislation in the 2020 session, starting January 6. Eklund said the two “are not that far along on the bill. My feeling is that at this point, at this juncture we’re developing the appetite. If we’re gonna go, let’s go. There’s been hard work in the House, hard work in the Senate, let’s proceed.”
He added, “The heavy lifting in terms of educating members, gathering info, caucusing, in my opinion, we’re coming to the end of that line. Does that mean we’re going to vote a bill out of the Senate next week and out of the House and boom, boom, boom by Christmas? I wouldn’t say that.”
The two legislators are hashing out which agency will have regulatory oversight over sports betting. Eklund’s SB 111 favors the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and Greenspan’s HB 194 names the Ohio Lottery Commission. Eklund and Greenspan both said it’s not a contentious issue and they will find a way to work it out.
Another difference between the House and Senate versions of the bill is that Greenspan favors having kiosks at veterans and fraternal organizations. The House bill calls for one terminal at each location, where only members could place bets. The Senate doesn’t include that provision since Eklund opposes large-scale expansion.
He said, “I have heard many explanations regarding VFWs, some are good ideas and all are very well-intentioned and heartfelt. I don’t think putting this activity in those venues would have the effect that people would like to see happen. I don’t think it’s a purposeful approach, number one. Number two, you’ve got some very potentially serious security issues with that in real sports gaming”—such as underage players potentially accessing the kiosk.
Greenspan said sports betting terminals in the halls would help make up for the state having only four casinos. He said a central monitoring system would address security concerns. “In order to participate in sports gaming and wagering, you would have to go online and register, similar to West Virginia, saying you’re of age and not on any voluntary or exemption lists. No money changes hands at the veterans or fraternal halls. You fund the account in which you deposit money from the bank into the sports wagering account, and it is limited by how much you put in.”
Greenspan said under his bill, mobile and online sports wagering through state-licensed operators would be available as soon as the bill is passed, without in-person registration.
Asked if he and Greenspan are making headway on sports betting, Eklund said, “I define ‘headway’ as quiet advocacy which has appropriately framed the issue and helped members come to a decision they can be comfortable on. So has there been headway? Yes. Has that headway emerged from the fog to a definitive decision? No.”
