Ohio Sports Betting Bill Passes In The Senate, Move To House

• Senate Bill 176 that would regulate sports betting in Ohio has passed in the Senate and will now move to the House.
• This sports wagering proposal will open both retail and mobile sportsbooks in the Buckeye State.
• The Ohio Legislature has until December 31 to decide on the bill but no House date has been set for introductions to be made as of yet.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – On Wednesday, the Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 176, a measure to regulate sports betting which has allowed it to move to the House for consideration.

The 252-page bill saw requests for 45 amendments prior to its third reading and vote on Wednesday, where it was approved by the majority Senate members with 30 YEAS and 2 NAYS.

Senate Bill 176 will regulate both retail and mobile sportsbooks in the Buckeye State for players 21 and over. Governor Mike DeWine has been advocating for the industry and is favored to sign any legislation on the subject that lands on his desk.

Should OH SB 176 pass within the House, local sport wagering for Ohioans could be seen by as early as next year.

What The New Version Of Senate Bill 176 Looks Like

During the hearing, the consensus by lawmakers was that introducing a sports wagering industry to Ohio would be a better decision than to continue without one. Not only is Ohio home to a number of great professional and collegiate teams, but residents gamble on sporting events every day using outside outlets. Ohio could benefit from these sports bettors if they kept that money in the state through their own sports gaming market.

Under the current, amended version of the bill that will be going to the House, there is a cap of 25 mobile sportsbook licenses that can be used statewide. Land-based sports betting licenses are capped at 33 and are earmarked for store locations. Combined, that’s a total of 58 licenses that will be issued by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), as they are the named regulatory body within this proposal.

Each license for the Ohio sports betting industry will cost $1 million. Pro teams in the state will receive preference when vying for open retail licenses and allowed two sportsbook terminals at their facilities if granted licensure. There will be a third type of sports betting allowed known as the “Class C” license that will cost $6000 per application.

These licenses will go to any facility with a liquor license and will be unlimited as there is no cap stipulated in the bill.

The Outlook For Ohio

With Senate Bill 176 moving to the House, things look to be favorable for Ohioans to have a regulated sports betting industry in 2022. If all goes as planned, this will be the case. Should the House have amendments, the bill will be sent back to the Senate for a second vote.

The Ohio Legislature adjourns for the year on December 31, giving lawmakers enough time to iron out any kinks in the measure.

News tags: Mike DeWine | Ohio | Ohio Casino Control Commission | Ohio House | Ohio Legislature | Ohio Senate | Senate Bill 176