Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Senate members hoping to revive Ohio sports betting bill

Robert Linnehan

By Robert Linnehan

Published:

Once more unto the breach, Ohio.

Members of the Ohio Senate are harboring hopes to jumpstart Ohio sports betting discussions, as the Senate called for a committee of conference with House members to discuss a proposed sports betting bill.

Can Ohio sports betting discussions be revived?

Supporters of sports betting in the state hope this joint conference of Ohio Senate and House members can come to a beneficial agreement on the bill and potentially pass a piece of legislation. The Ohio legislative session runs through December 2022.

The joint conference will discuss HB 29, which the Senate passed on June 24. Originally a bill permitting certain residents to obtain Ohio veterans ID cards, the Senate voted to tack on an amended version of SB 176, the original Ohio sports bill, to HB 29 in a surprising last minute move.

Members of the House refused to concur on the amendments to the bill on June 28 and discussion was tabled until the fall. The Senate recently requested the committee of conference and insists on amendments, according to the bill’s latest update.

HB 29 and Ohio sports betting

HB 29 includes three types of sports betting licenses. Type A licenses include state entities that have the ability to bank a bet, such as the state’s 11 casinos and racinos. Type B licenses will be for future brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. Type C licenses allow for sports betting kiosks to be installed in retail establishments with D-class liquor licenses.

The bill allows for 65 total licenses; 25 online sports betting licenses and 40 retail sportsbook licenses.

Here are HB 29’s key changes from SB 176:

  • Professional sports franchises are no longer given preference for Type B licenses.
  • An Ohio county with a population of 800,000 or more may have a maximum five Type B licenses, up from three in the original bill.
  • A county with 400,000 to 800,000 may have a maximum of three Type B licenses.
  • A county with 100,000 to 400,000 may have one Type B license.
  • A casino or racino that receives a Type A license may have two online sports betting skins, an increase from the original one.
Robert Linnehan

Regulatory Writer and Editor for XLMedia. Sports. Gambling. Not necessarily in that order. Follow him on Twitter @rlinnehanxl