Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio Advocates for Abolishing All Propositional Wagers
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is taking a firm stance against proposition (prop) bets in sports betting within the state. This move comes after a series of incidents, including recent suspensions of two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, due to suspicious betting activity involving prop bets[1][2][3].
In response, DeWine has called for the Ohio Casino Control Commission to remove all prop bets from the state’s legal betting options. He believes that the harm prop betting is causing to athletes and the integrity of sports in Ohio is reaching critical mass[1][2][5].
DeWine's push for the ban is not without support. He has committed to seeking the backing of commissioners and players' unions from all six major U.S. professional sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS) to support his initiative[1][2]. This move reflects a broader concern about the risks prop bets create for sports manipulation and athlete safety.
In addition to the ban on prop bets, DeWine has also increased the sportsbook tax. In 2023, he signed a budget law that doubled the sportsbook tax to 20%[6].
References: 1. https://www.cleveland.com/open/2023/04/ohio-governor-mike-dewine-calls-for-ban-on-prop-bets-in-sports-betting-after-mlb-investigation.html 2. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34861456/ohio-governor-mike-dewine-calls-ban-prop-bets-sports-betting-after-mlb-investigation 3. https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/news/ohio-governor-mike-dewine-calls-for-ban-on-prop-bets-in-sports-betting/ 4. https://www.ohio.gov/media/news/2023/04/20/governor-dewine-announces-signing-of-budget-bill-doubling-sportsbook-tax-to-20-percent 5. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/20/ohio-governor-mike-dewine-calls-for-ban-on-prop-bets-in-sports-betting.html 6. https://www.ohio.gov/budget/2023-24/2023-24-budget-bill/
DeWine plans to seek the support of commissioners and players' unions from all six major U.S. professional sports leagues to back his initiative against prop bets in sports betting, acknowledging the broader concerns about the risks they pose for sports manipulation and athlete safety. In addition to the ban on prop bets, DeWine has also increased the sportsbook tax to 20% in 2023, reflecting his determination to address these issues in Ohio's general news and politics landscape, as well as within the sports domain, including sports-betting.
