Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has called for the state’s Casino Control Commission to ban prop betting markets on professional sports. He has done so as the MLB continues to probe issues with betting, including threats that players are receiving from bettors.
micro-betting markets that are highly specific and a single player completely controls
The statement on Thursday refers to the two Cleveland Guardians players who are under investigation following suspicious prop betting in games they played last month. DeWine’s particular gripe is with micro-betting markets that are highly specific, meaning a single player controls the outcome.
DeWine will call on the player unions and commissioners of the country’s six major sports leagues to support a ban on prop betting. The NCAA has long held a similar stance, requesting in 2023 that state regulators ban prop betting markets on college games relating to individual performance, with only a couple of states following through, including Ohio.
The governor also mentioned the threats that athletes receive from bettors. He ultimately believes that the benefits of continuing to allow these markets is not worth the downsides. The 78-year-old summed up his stance with his claim that the “prop betting experiment in this country has failed badly.”
