A state at the epicenter of the country’s political divide has managed to fashion a bipartisan bill regarding the phenomenon that literally is sweeping the nation, albeit slowly: Sports betting.
As explained by Laura Hancock of Cleveland.com, a pair of Ohio senators (one a Republican, one a Democrat) introduced on Tuesday a bill that would allow wagering on football and other sports.
The bill is fairly light on details (including whether betting would be allowed on Browns or Bengals games); Senator Sean O’Brien explained that the goal was to get the bill an official number (316) and some generic language, with specifics to come in August. One specific could be limiting wagering to precise locations in Ohio.
“My thinking right now is we already have casinos and racinos set up,” O’Brien said. “I’d kind of like to keep it in those institutions because they are set up for gaming. I’m not sure we want it in every 7-Eleven . . . and every bar.”
This implies there would be no mobile component via FanDuel or DraftKings, and no in-stadium wagering. In West Virginia, FanDuel is expected to provide the ability to place wagers from anywhere in the state.
Other issues to be determined include the tax rate on wagering and the destination of the revenue the state earns.
