Ohio Republican lawmakers have introduced House Bill 971, the Save Ohio Sports Act, a proposal that would end mobile sports betting in the state and confine legal wagering to licensed casino floors. The measure would also strip away live bets, player props, parlays and college sports betting, while capping wagers at $100 and limiting customers to eight bets a day.
According to the Ohio House release, Reps. Johnathan Newman and Beth Lear presented the bill as nine separate measures, with five aimed at consumer protection and four at sports integrity. The sponsors say the point is to separate fair competition from high-stakes wagering and curb what they describe as predatory industry practices.
Under the proposal, mobile sportsbooks would be geofenced to physical casino properties, which would leave bettors able to place wagers only in person. Only single-game bets would remain legal.
The bill would also bar credit-card funding for sports betting accounts. It would prohibit gambling advertisements inside collegiate sports venues and during broadcasts of live sporting events.
Newman and Lear have cast the proposal as a response to what they describe as Ohio’s rapid expansion of sports betting since it was legalized in 2023. Newman said the current system monetises addiction, while Lear said the legislation would protect Ohioans and restore commonsense limits on sports gambling.
That expansion has been heavily digital. WorldCasinoDirectory reported that online wagering has accounted for more than 98% of betting handle in recent reporting periods, while sports betting taxes have brought in hundreds of millions of dollars since legalization, including more than $200 million in operator revenue taxes in 2025 alone.
The same reporting said retail wagering has contributed only a small fraction of total tax receipts compared with online wagering. GamingToday added that the bill would put pressure on major sportsbook brands such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
On process, the House release said the measure awaits a number and committee assignment. Next.io reported that it has been referred to the House committee process, where it would be debated before any vote by the full chamber, and would still need Senate approval and Governor Mike DeWine’s signature to become law.
If enacted, Ohio would become the first U.S. state to fully repeal online sports betting since the federal PASPA reversal.
