Reflecting on his seven years in office, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently identified the legalization of sports gambling as his most significant executive regret.
During a recent candid discussion, the Republican governor admitted that signing the 2021 bill for legal sports betting in Ohio was a fundamental error, citing an unforeseen explosion in aggressive advertising and a rising tide of addiction among young residents.
“People have asked me, ‘What mistakes did you make?’ And I’ll lead with signing a bill for sports gaming,” DeWine said. “It’s a huge problem among young males up to 45… And we have many of them addicted, many of them spending money that they do not have.”
A Surge in Wagering and Scandals
Since Ohio launched legal sports betting in January 2023, the industry has experienced meteoric growth. Ohioans wagered approximately $7.7 billion in 2023, rising to nearly $8.9 billion in 2024.
DeWine attributed much of this to the “deep pockets” of gaming companies that marketed their apps directly to citizens’ smartphones. “They got it right here,” the governor noted, holding up his cell phone. “They don’t have to go to a casino. They don’t have to go anyplace.”
“It’s a huge problem among young males up to 45… And we have many of them addicted, many of them spending money that they do not have.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
However, the financial boom has been shadowed by high-profile integrity scandals that have shaken the world of professional sports. In late 2025, federal indictments were unsealed against Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz.
The pair were charged with conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, allegedly accepting thousands of dollars to rig specific pitches for bettors.
The corruption has extended to NBA betting as well. In October 2025, the FBI arrested several current and former players, including former Shaker Heights star Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Damon Jones, as part of a widespread “Operation Nothing But Bet” investigation.
These cases involved the misuse of non-public medical information and allegations of players faking injuries to influence “under” statistics on prop bets.
Pushing for a “Holistic” Solution
In response to the Guardians scandal, DeWine successfully lobbied for a compromise with Major League Baseball to restrict “microprop” wagers, such as betting on individual pitches, capping them at $200, and removing them from parlay bets.
While DeWine described it as “not a bad compromise,” he continues to push for a total ban on prop bets across all professional leagues.
“The other leagues, I think, need to get with it. This is a ticking time bomb,” DeWine warned. “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.”
Despite the governor’s vocal stance, state lawmakers have shown little appetite for a full repeal or further major restrictions. Some legislators previously attempted to expand online gambling to fund tax cuts, a move DeWine firmly blocked.
As he enters the final year of his term, DeWine remains a realist about the political landscape: “I can count… I can pretty much guarantee you that [the legislature is] not ready to do this.”
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