Ohio Sports Betting Deal Is 90% Agreed; Licenses Will Be Issued in 2022

The Ohio House and Senate have been pursuing the goal of legalizing the new form of gambling in the state for the past two years, but the option of having a compromise is still not guaranteed. House and Senate competing measures would allow people in the state to participate in sports betting activities.

Since the number of parties that are involved in the process is high, that means that a lot of money is on the line. The Statehouse News Bureau reported that Matt Huffman, the Senate President, is currently working on an agreement with House leaders.

One Main Issue Slows Legalized Sports Betting

The debate has unveiled a few possible challenges and one of the biggest is determining which establishments will be allowed to host this type of gambling. Casinos and professional sports teams are advocating for a license, but there are other venues that want a piece of the cake, with bowling centers being one of them.

Huffman stated that even though there are one or two issues on hand and they are understandable and clear, he is optimistic about the process. The most recent proposal was introduced before the recess during the summer. According to that proposal, up to 25 licenses would be issued for mobile betting. Moreover, 40 land-based establishments would be able to accept bets. Self-service kiosks would have a special license.

In a 1480 WHBC radio interview, Senator Kirk Schuring stated that 90% of the issues in the bill are agreed upon, meaning that there are a few additional details that need to be discussed. Huffman’s wish is to see movement on the bill in the near future.

Conference committee members would discuss HB 29, which was initially passed by the Senate earlier this year. Since House members did not agree on some of the amendments in the bill on June 28, the discussion was shelved until fall.

Mobile Operators Have a Very Important Role

Sports betting legalization in Ohio relies heavily on the negotiations on mobile betting and mobile operators. These sportsbooks are considered to be the key to keeping Ohio’s tax revenue. The session of the legislative runs through the end of 2021. After approval from both bodies is given, the bill will have a grace period of 90 days before it becomes effective.

These details suggest that legal sports betting in Ohio will be slated for 2022. Schuring stated that the application date for licenses on sports betting will be suggested by the Senate no later than February 15 and the applications will be approved by April 20, 2022.

Sports betting in the US has had a massive expansion in the recent period and many states are pushing to legalize the industry due to the fact that it is the key to large sums of tax revenue.