Two Ohio legislators have introduced a bill that would ban online sports betting across the state. The "Save Ohio Sports Act," sponsored by Representatives Johnathan Newman and Beth Lear, would prohibit online sportsbooks, live in-game betting, player props, and college sports wagering — pushing all legal betting into land-based, Ohio-regulated venues.
The bill is at the very beginning of the legislative process. It is currently being assigned to a House committee, after which it would need to pass the full House, then the Senate, and finally be signed by the Governor to become law. Most introduced bills do not survive that path, and no committee hearing has yet been scheduled.
What the bill would do
The Save Ohio Sports Act contains nine provisions in total — five focused on consumer protections and four on sports integrity. Among the concrete measures the bill proposes:
| Provision | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ban online sports betting | Prohibits online sportsbooks, live betting, player props, and college sports wagering |
| Land-based only | All wagers would have to be placed at land-based venues regulated by Ohio |
| Per-bet cap | Individual bets limited to $100 maximum |
| Daily bet limit | Bettors capped at 8 wagers per day |
| No betting with debt | Prohibits placing bets with borrowed money |
| Credit card ban | Bans credit cards for funding gambling activity |
| Advertising limits | Stricter limits on betting advertising and promotions |
The land-based requirement and the online ban together represent the most sweeping proposal: Ohio launched online sports betting on January 1, 2023, and online operators now account for more than 98% of the state's monthly sports betting revenue. Restricting wagering to physical venues would effectively dismantle the current market.
What the sponsors are saying
Representative Johnathan Newman framed the bill as a rejection of using gambling revenue to fund public services: "Monetizing addiction to fund public education is the wrong direction for Ohio. 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?"
Representative Beth Lear emphasized public health and youth: "Gambling is the number one 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. This legislation makes it clear: our kids, their physical and mental well-being, are not for sale."
Context: Ohio's recent regulatory moves
The bill lands amid a broader tightening of Ohio's sports betting rules. The Ohio Casino Control Commission banned college player props in February 2026, advanced a credit card deposit ban toward a final vote in June 2026, and Ohio regulators have been fighting prediction market platforms like Kalshi. The Save Ohio Sports Act goes far beyond any of those measures by targeting the legal online market itself rather than specific products or payment methods.
What it means for Ohio bettors right now
Nothing changes today. Online sports betting remains fully legal in Ohio. All 15+ OCCC-licensed operators — DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, bet365, Caesars, Fanatics, and the rest — continue to operate normally, and existing accounts, bonuses, and wagers are unaffected.
The Save Ohio Sports Act is one introduced bill among many, at the earliest possible stage. For it to change anything, it would need to clear a House committee, the full House, the full Senate, and the Governor's signature — a process that typically takes months and that most bills never complete. Ohio's sports betting market generated more than $346 million in revenue through the first four months of 2026 and roughly $17.9 million in state tax in April alone, which historically makes wholesale rollbacks politically difficult.
BettingInOH will track the Save Ohio Sports Act as it moves through the legislative process and update this story if it advances to a committee hearing. In the meantime, bet responsibly — set deposit and time limits in your sportsbook app, and if gambling is causing harm, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966.