An Ohio State Representative has proposed naming the Ohio Lottery Commission as the regulator for any sports betting made legal in the state, rather than the state’s Casino Control Commission.
Rep. Dave Greenspan’s plan introduced in the Ohio House differs from a plan introduced in the state’s Senate. Both plans would allow sports betting in Ohio’s casinos, racinos and online.
“I believe we will have sports gaming in the state,” Greenspan told cleveland.com.
Greenspan said under the bill he is co-sponsoring with Cincinnati Democrat Brigid Kelly, betting could start about six months after approval from the state’s governor. He did not, however, predict how long the bill would take to be approved by the state legislature.
The difference in regulators named in the two legislative bills could cause delays. State Senator John Eklund said his plan would make the commission regulator because of its in regulating the gambling industry.
Greenspan, however, said he believed the lottery was the legal way for Ohio to expand into sports gambling, treating wagering on sports as a game of chance.
The state’s lottery is not approved to offer games of skill under state law. Greenspan said that based in part on advice he has received from the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, sports gambling is a game of chance that could be treated as a lottery.
“A game of chance to me is a game in which the gambling has zero impact on the outcome of the event,” Greenspan told the website. “A game of skill is when you are participating and you have the opportunity to determine the outcome of the event. I view sports wagering as a game of chance, not a game of skill.”
According to cleaveland.com, Greenspan’s bill would also:
- Permit sports wagering at Ohio’s casinos and racinos, remotely through the use of personal devices such a phones, and at neighborhood veterans and fraternal organization halls licensed by the lottery.
- Allow wagering on both pro and college sports, including games played by Ohio teams.
- Would offer sports leagues the option of obtaining Ohio wagering data free of charge so they could monitor activity on their sports.
- Earmark the state profits for education.
