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Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Gov. Mike DeWine and OBM Director Kimberly Murnieks unveiled DeWine’s first budget Friday. [Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau]

DeWine’s Budget Doesn’t Bet On Money From Sports Gambling

By: Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau
Posted on: Monday, March 18, 2019

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Gov. Mike DeWine says he’ll pay for the spending in his $69 billion dollar budget with economic growth – not new taxes or fees. And he’s also not counting on a source of revenue several lawmakers have been hoping to secure since a big U.S. Supreme Court decision last year.

DeWine said the budget isn’t counting on revenue from sports gambling because it’s not legal in Ohio.

But he’s also said he’s expecting things will be different soon.

“Certainly, it’s something the legislature’s going to look at. And I would anticipate, candidly, that certainly within the life of this budget that that will take place in the legislature and that there will be funds in regard to that,” DeWine said.

A pair of bills were introduced after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized sports gambling last May, but they went nowhere.

Sports gambling is legal in 10 states, including Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Bills have been introduced in 18 others, including Ohio, to allow sports betting through casinos or state lotteries.