When the Supreme Court cleared the way for legalized sports betting on a state-by-state basis, most of the country jumped in with both feet. Ohio was one of those states. Now its governor wishes it hadn't, as relayed by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
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Governor Mike DeWine told the Associated Press he "absolutely" regrets signing off on the law that brought sports wagering to Ohio.
His concern is not gambling itself, but the enormous power and nonstop reach of modern sportsbooks.
"Look, we've always had gambling, we're always going to have gambling," DeWine said. "But just the power of these companies and the deep, deep, deep pockets they have to advertise and do everything they can to get someone to place that bet is really different once you have legalization of them."
Before legalization, anyone who wanted to bet had to be willing to break the law, find a bookie or venture into places where the consequences of losing went beyond financial pain.
Now, placing a wager is as easy as ordering a rideshare. DeWine said lawmakers did not anticipate the shift in behavior and the potential fallout that comes with it.
"Ohio shouldn't have done it," he said.
DeWine played a key role in the recent limits placed on micro-betting in baseball following the scandal involving two Cleveland Guardians pitchers. He said he wants more action taken, not less.
"It needs to be holistic, it needs to be universal," DeWine said. "They're just playing with fire. They are asking for more and more trouble with their failure to address this."
He would prefer a full ban on micro-prop bets and would sign a law repealing sports gambling entirely. But he knows the political math.
"There's not the votes for that," he said. "I can count."
DeWine still believes the integrity of sports is at risk and plans to continue warning consumers and pushing for additional restrictions across all leagues.
Whether the political winds eventually shift will depend on what happens next. One well-timed scandal could change everything. The sportsbooks, meanwhile, would undoubtedly use their considerable resources to keep the status quo in place.
