COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged the Ohio Casino Control Commission on Monday to ban proposition bets, citing threats to athletes and the integrity of sports following a Major League Baseball investigation involving two Cleveland Guardians pitchers.
DeWine’s call comes after MLB placed pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase on non-disciplinary paid leave through August 31 as part of a probe into alleged unusual prop betting activity in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio during Guardians games in June. The governor also referenced prior threats against University of Dayton basketball players, which emerged shortly after Ohio’s sports gambling laws took effect in January 2023.
“The evidence that prop betting is harming athletics in Ohio is reaching critical mass,” DeWine said in a statement. “The harm to athletes and the integrity of the game is clear, and the benefits are not worth the harm. The prop betting experiment in this country has failed badly.”
Prop bets, particularly micro prop bets on specific in-game events controlled by individual players, have drawn scrutiny for their potential to compromise sports integrity. DeWine announced he will seek support from commissioners and players’ unions of the six major U.S. sports leagues—MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, and MLS—to back the proposed ban.
In February 2024, following a letter from NCAA President Charlie Baker, the Ohio Casino Control Commission banned prop bets on collegiate athletes’ individual performances, though bets on overall game outcomes remain permitted. The existing rules do not restrict prop bets on professional sports, prompting DeWine’s latest push to eliminate them entirely from Ohio’s betting market.
DeWine previously addressed sports betting concerns in the state’s biennial budget bill, House Bill 33, which tackled some marketplace issues. The governor’s renewed effort underscores growing concerns about the impact of legalized sports betting, which has faced challenges since its introduction in Ohio.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission has not yet responded to DeWine’s request. MLB’s investigation into the Guardians players remains ongoing, with no further details released.
