- Ohio Sports Betting Discussions Will Pick Back Up In September
- Legal Retail Sportsbooks In Wisconsin Waits On Compact Approval From Feds
- Washington State Moves On Domestic Casino Sports Betting
The tidal wave of legal sports betting continues to wash across the United States as more states each year decide to jump in with both feet and regulate some form of sportsbook (in-person, online, mobile) within their borders.
The crest of that wave would be the action it receives in each respective state legislature as high-dollar lobbyists and tax-revenue-hungry politicians fight to legalize sports betting operations.
The length of time between the legalization of said sportsbooks and when they actually open their doors can last between months and years depending on how prepared lawmakers were when drafting the initial language.
Ohio, Wisconsin, and Washington state are all moving toward legal sports betting, but each finds itself at a different stage of the process.
Ohio Sports Betting
Earlier this year it appeared that legal sports betting in Ohio was on track for approval, but talks stalled and now the Buckeye State will have to wait until this fall for further debate.
The massive population in Ohio will certainly produce massive revenues if and when domestic OH sportsbooks open, and the cities of Cleveland and Cincinnati will likely partake at high volumes when wagering on their favorite local professional and college teams.
It seems that the Ohio House of Representatives is all in on sports betting, but the Senate requires a new bill to be drafted and further discussion. The plan is to place a priority on the issue of sports betting in OH as soon as they return in September.
Washington Sports Betting
Although the state of Washington is the only one in the USA that has a prohibition in place for all online gambling, there are moves currently being made in their legislative bodies for physical sportsbook locations to begin operation soon.
Governor Jay Inslee has approved of over a dozen Tribal casinos to begin accepting bets on sports in Washington and is awaiting federal approval for them to start taking action on pro and college sports.
Washington casinos that are not located on Native American lands have been cut out, and they plan to lobby the legislature next year to allow them to take bets on sports domestically.
There’s been no mention of online sports betting in WA at this time, but given the softened stance on in-state sportsbook sites, there could be hope.
Wisconsin Sports Betting
Although Wisconsin has not passed any legislation to allow domestic sportsbooks to operate within the state, Tribal gaming is currently exempt from any oversight. Oneida Nation leadership has agreed to a sports betting compact with Governor Tony Evers that will allow them to provide in-person sportsbook services inside their Wisconsin casinos.
While the retail sportsbook revenues are not expected to make much of an impact – domestic intake is always much lower than online and mobile – this likely signals a more favorable stance toward legal sports betting in Wisconsin from state leadership.
If the current compact receives approval from the US Department of the Interior, look for domestic sportsbooks to open in WI this fall.
Source – Komo News, Wisconsin Public Radio, News 5 Cleveland
