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Sports gambling passes Ohio legislature after years of debate and now heads to the governor

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — A bill that’s on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine would legalize sports gambling in Ohio starting before January 1, 2023. State lawmakers have been working on the issue since the US Supreme Court allowed states to set up sports betting in 2018.

The bill, which adds gambling language to a House bill on veterans ID cards, puts oversight over sports betting with the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) has been at the front of the negotiations.

“We all know that sports gaming is going on right now as we speak, illegally,” Schuring said on the Senate floor. “As we’re going to put the necessary regulatory guardrails around it to make sure it is done correctly here in Ohio.”

The bill would set up 25 Class A licenses for mobile betting with the first sports book contract costing $3 million and the second going for $10 million. 40 Class B licenses will be allowed for brick and mortar betting at casinos and racinos and for professional sports teams, and thousands of Class C licenses for liquor permit holders to have betting kiosks. It would also impose a 10% tax on gaming receipts, with the money going to education. If it’s signed, sports betting could start before January 1, 2023.

For years lawmakers have discussed sports gambling and which entity would have oversight. Before adding their language to this bill, the Senate passed a bill earlier this year putting sports gambling under the Casino Control Commission. The House passed a bill last year to put the authority over sports betting with the Ohio Lottery.