Ohio lawmakers have formally introduced legislation that would dramatically reshape the state’s legal sports betting market by banning online and mobile wagering.
House Bill 971, dubbed the “Save Ohio Sports Act,” was introduced into the Ohio House on 1 July 2026 with the backing of 10 Republican representatives.
The proposal was first unveiled in April and its formal introduction now marks the official start of the legislative process.
If passed, the bill would restrict sports betting exclusively to in-person wagering at land-based casinos, effectively eliminating the online and mobile betting market entirely.
The legislation would also ban live or in-play betting and parlay bets, two of the most commercially significant and widely used betting formats currently available in Ohio.
Additional measures include prohibiting wagers on college sports, banning player proposition bets, and preventing bettors from using credit cards or borrowed funds to place wagers.
The bill also proposes a $100 cap on individual bets, a limit of eight bets per customer every 24 hours, and restrictions on sports betting advertising during live broadcasts and inside sports venues.
Sponsors of the legislation argued that the bill would reverse the “rapid expansion” of sports betting since Ohio legalised the activity in 2023 and reduce consumer exposure to gambling-related harm.
Representative Johnathan Newman stated that sports betting now “dominates the entire sports landscape,” adding: “The fact is that most bettors do not win. It is estimated that roughly 95% of Ohioans who are betting make deposits, not withdrawals.”
Fellow sponsor Beth Lear said: “The Save Ohio Sports Act will protect Ohioans by ending online sports betting, eliminating the most harmful forms of betting, and restoring commonsense limits on sports gambling.”
The bill has been referred to the House committee process, where it will be debated before any vote by the full chamber.
It would also require approval from the Ohio Senate before reaching Governor Mike DeWine’s desk for his signature.
Governor DeWine has previously expressed support for tighter restrictions, having backed a ban on player proposition bets last year following a series of betting scandals involving Major League Baseball.
That earlier proposal was ultimately shelved following opposition from the league, but the new legislation signals continued political pressure to curb Ohio’s sports betting market.
