Bill would allow sports gambling in Ohio

SANDUSKY — Do you think sports gambling is only legal in Las Vegas and other parts of Nevada? Don't bet on it.It's legal in several other states. And soon, Ohio could join them, making it legal to bet on the Browns, the Indians and the Cavaliers in the state.State Rep. Dave Greenspan, R-Westlake, and state Rep. Brigid Kelly, D-Cincinnati, announced Tuesday they introduced a bill to legalize and regulate sports gambling, with most of the state revenues to go to public education. "At its core, this bill is intended to provide additional funding for public education in Ohio by making sports betting legal," said Greenspan. "The format and structure of the bill provides clarity as to the authority overseeing sport betting in Ohio while providing flexibility to address opportunities and challenges facing this newly legalized industry." While sports gambling has long been associated with Las Vegas, the Supreme Court ruled in May 2018 that states can decide if they want to allow it.Since then, Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia have all legalized sports gambling, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The NCSL said in addition to Ohio, lawmakers in Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia are mulling whether to let their residents bet on sports.Greenspan didn't return a phone call asking for comment, but in a news release said his bill proposes to let the existing Ohio Lottery Commission administer sports gambling in Ohio, advised by the Sports Gaming Advisory Board.A 10 percent tax would be imposed, with most of the revenue going to the Lottery Profits Education Fund but 2 percent going to a fund to help people with problem gambling.Dan Tierney, a spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine, said the governor has no comment yet on the specifics of the bill."We're currently reviewing that legislation," Tierney said. But DeWine has believed since the Supreme Court decision that sports betting is coming to Ohio, Tierney said. The governor believes it is better for the legislature to deal with the issue than for a special interest group to put a proposal on the ballot. Handling it in the Ohio General Assembly allows the proposal to be shaped by hearings and debate, Tierney said.DeWine is a fan of both the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians and looks forward to attending this year's All-Star Game in Cleveland, Tierney said. He said he didn't know if the governor would consider betting on a game if it were legal.Larry Fletcher, executive director of Lake Erie Shores and Islands, said he hasn't seen the bill yet.He noted that when people bet on sports now, Ohio does not gain any revenue.The state currently allows gambling at casinos and at racetracks, and people also can bet on horse racing at the Thirsty Pony in Sandusky, Fletcher said."I would imagine this is just an extension on that," he said.State Rep. Dave Greenspan