More than a year ago, Ohio lawmakers introduced legislation to approve sports betting. There’s still no sign of passage. State Rep. Brigid Kelly co-sponsored the House version.
“We’ve had, I believe, nine hearings. We’ve had a number of meetings with people who are interested parties in the bill. It’s been vetted very thoroughly by the finance committee,” Kelly told The Cincinnati Enquirer.
After all that time, the legislation is far from a done deal. The House has to vote it out of committee, then approve it on the floor then send it to the Senate where the process begins all over. The House bill gives regulatory power to the Ohio Lottery Commission, while the Senate anoints the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
Oh, and don’t forget the coronavirus pandemic.
House Bill 194, co-sponsored by State Representative Dave Greenspan, features mobile betting, in-person wagering at casinos and racinos, and allow wagering on collegiate athletics, including the schools and events in Ohio. Not even New Jersey allows that.
When the lawmakers proposed the bill, all 13 of the Division I college athletic directors in Ohio opposed that part of the bill. If Ohio did not include that clause, fans would go to neighboring states or illegal markets to bet on Ohio State.
“Sports betting is a way that we can provide more resources for public education, for kids in our communities, so that’s really sort of what got me into this from the beginning,” said Kelly.
Before the pandemic, Ohio acknowledged lost tax revenue to neighboring states, including Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
“The sooner the better,” Kelly said. “It takes 90 days for a bill to become law so there is the time it will take in order to implement this even after it passes, but we know that for every day that passes, someone else, somewhere else is working on this in states that are right across the river from us.”
