Speaking during a meeting with the editorial board of cleveland.com | The Plain Dealer, DeWine said: “People have asked me, ‘What mistakes did you make?’ And I’ll lead with signing a bill for sports gaming.”

“It’s a huge problem among young males up to 45. It’s a huge problem,” he added. “And we have many of them addicted, many of them spending money that they do not have.”

Rapid Market Growth Brings New Challenges

Ohio legalized sports betting through legislation signed by DeWine in December 2021, with the market officially launching in January 2023. Since then, the state has experienced significant wagering growth, driven in part by aggressive marketing campaigns from licensed operators. Ohioans wagered approximately $7.7 billion on sports in 2023, followed by nearly $8.9 billion in 2024.

While these figures highlight the strong demand for regulated sports wagering, DeWine acknowledged that the scale and intensity of advertising exceeded his expectations at the time of signing the bill.

“Frankly, when I signed the bill – I should’ve have, my fault, I take the blame – I didn’t count on the massive amount of advertising that these companies would do, first to get people to sign up for their app and to continue on,” he said.

“They now have it here,” the governor added, holding up his cell phone. “They got it right here. They don’t have to go to a casino. They don’t have to go anyplace – they got it right here.”

Emphasis on Responsible Gambling and Player Protection

Despite the popularity of sports betting, DeWine noted that Ohio has invested several million dollars in programs aimed at assisting residents facing gambling-related harm. The governor framed these efforts as essential components of a mature regulatory framework that prioritizes consumer welfare alongside market growth.

Concerns, however, have extended beyond bettors to the athletes themselves. DeWine referenced incidents in which University of Dayton players received threats from gamblers, as well as high-profile investigations involving professional athletes across Major League Baseball and the NBA.

These developments have intensified calls for stronger safeguards to protect the integrity of sports competitions.

Integrity Measures and Industry Compromises

Following reports involving Cleveland Guardians pitchers, DeWine initially supported a statewide ban on proposition, or “prop,” bets. However, after discussions with Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, he backed a national, league-led approach.

The resulting compromise includes restrictions on betting on individual pitches and a $200 cap on certain “microprop” wagers. While acknowledging that the outcome was not ideal from his perspective, DeWine recognized its value.

“That’s not exactly where I wanted to end up,” he said. “But that’s not a bad compromise, because I think where you see most of the problem, the bets are more than $200.”

DeWine has since urged other major sports leagues, including the NFL, to adopt similar measures.

“The other leagues, I think, need to get with it. This is a ticking time bomb for these leagues,” he warned.

“There’s a reason that the most watched things on TV every year are sporting events. The reason they are is we don’t know the outcome, and we think it’s legitimate. … If you start attacking that integrity and people thinking, ‘Maybe that pitch in the third inning was thrown because there was somebody who had a bet on it,’ the whole integrity of the sport goes away.”

Ongoing Debate Ahead of Political Transition

Even if additional leagues implement tighter controls, DeWine said he would still support legislation to ban prop bets in Ohio.

“Any control that we can get over this, anything we can do, we should be doing,” he said.

For now, Ohio lawmakers have shown little appetite for passing new sports betting restrictions before DeWine leaves office early next year. Broader discussions around expanding online gambling options were also considered in 2024 but ultimately set aside, with legislators opting to fund income tax reductions through spending cuts and tax exemption changes instead.

DeWine’s remarks have reignited a nationwide conversation within the gaming industry, highlighting the ongoing balance between market growth, innovation, consumer protection, and the preservation of sporting integrity in an increasingly digital betting environment.