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A group of Ohio lawmakers has introduced a bill that would ban online sports betting and impose sweeping restrictions on legal wagering in the state.
House Bill 971, introduced by Republican Representatives Johnathan Newman and Beth Lear, would allow sports betting only at retail sportsbooks. If enacted, the measure would eliminate online wagering, which currently dominates Ohio’s sports betting market.
According to the latest figures from the Ohio Casino Control Commission, online sportsbooks accounted for 98.5% of all sports betting handle in May, generating the overwhelming majority of operator revenue.
Beyond banning online wagering, House Bill 971 proposes sweeping restrictions on betting markets. The legislation would prohibit wagering on college sports, parlays, player proposition bets, and live in-game betting.
It would also cap individual wagers at $100 and limit bettors to eight wagers within a 24-hour period. The bill further bans the use of credit cards or borrowed funds to finance betting accounts.
In May, the commission had already proposed a rule that would prohibit credit card deposits for sportsbook accounts. If approved, bettors would only be allowed to fund their accounts through ACH transfers, wire transfers, promotional credits, and winnings. The proposed rule must be approved by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review and undergo public hearings before taking effect.
Ohio also previously banned college player proposition bets in 2024 after the NCAA urged states to adopt nationwide restrictions.
Gov. Mike DeWine has repeatedly expressed regret over signing Ohio’s sports betting law in 2021 and has called for stricter gambling regulations. In November 2025, DeWine told the Associated Press that “Ohio shouldn’t have done it,” referring to the legalization of sports betting.
His comments came after federal allegations that Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz manipulated pitches as part of a gambling-related kickback scheme.
In January, DeWine reiterated his opposition in an interview with Cleveland.com, again criticizing sports betting and calling for the elimination of prop bets.
Supporters of the bill argue the proposal is intended to address gambling addiction and strengthen consumer protections. “Monetizing addiction to fund public education is the wrong direction for Ohio,” Newman said. “Who wins when predatory gambling preys on the vulnerable? It’s not our schools; that’s for sure! It’s the trillion-dollar big gambling companies who win. How is this good for Ohio?”
Lear echoed those concerns, calling for stronger safeguards against problem gambling. “Gambling is the No. 1 addiction that leads to suicide – online gambling companies are in an aggressive pay-to-play game with the Ohio Legislature, hoping to expand their profits on the backs of Ohioans with the ‘carrot’ of providing extra tax money for the government,” Lear said. “This legislation makes it clear: our kids, their physical and mental well-being, are not for sale.”
In addition to betting restrictions, the bill would impose tighter limits on gambling advertisements and promotional offers aimed at consumers.
The legislation has not yet been assigned to a House committee. To become law, it must pass both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly before reaching Governor DeWine’s desk. The proposal is backed by eight additional Republican lawmakers and follows an announcement in April outlining plans to pursue major changes to Ohio’s sports betting framework.
If enacted, Ohio would become the first state to repeal online sports betting since the overturning of PASPA. Maryland considered a similar proposal in 2025 through Senate Bill 1033, which sought to end online sports betting while allowing retail sportsbooks to remain open. The measure failed to advance beyond its first Senate reading.
Since launching on Jan. 1, 2023, Ohio’s online and retail sportsbooks have generated more than $1 billion in revenue, producing nearly $210 million in tax revenue for the state last year. During the first five months of 2026, sports betting generated nearly $90 million in tax revenue under Ohio’s 20% tax rate.
Retail sportsbooks, however, contributed only about $1 million of that total, highlighting the industry’s heavy reliance on online wagering.