Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged the state’s gaming regulator to ban prop bets earlier this year. But both he and the Ohio Casino Control Commission are satisfied that no further regulatory action is needed right now, after Major League Baseball made the first move.
At the time that the betting scandal surrounding Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz first emerged this summer, DeWine called on the OCCC to remove all prop wagers from the Ohio marketplace, opining that “the prop betting experiment in this country has failed badly.” He later focused in on in-play “micro” bets only, and said he was satisfied that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred was taking the lead.
After MLB and DeWine each announced that the league’s various partner sportsbooks would impose limits on pitch-level betting on MLB games, the OCCC told SBC Americas on Thursday that it is concerned that imposing its own regulatory rule regarding prop bets on Ohio sportsbooks at this stage could jeopardize the progress being made.
Too many cooks spoil the prop
Across the U.S., sportsbooks including FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, bet365 and more will no longer accept wagers of more than $200 on markets such as whether the next pitch is a ball or a strike or the speed of a certain pitch, and will also make those bets ineligible for inclusion in parlays.
Those specific changes were made with the primary goal of mitigating the integrity risks posed by betting and game manipulation, as well as maintaining the transparency of regulated sports wagering. Manfred and DeWine each commended the other for their advocacy and work in getting that measure enacted.
For now, the Ohio seems content with that response to one of the biggest scandals to rock either the state or the sport of baseball.
“The Commission recognizes the successful dialogue between Governor DeWine, Major League Baseball Commissioner Manfred, and the market-leading sportsbooks that achieved a meaningful result that will apply nationwide,” OCCC Assistant General Counsel Emily Berner told SBC Americas. “Introducing a rule now could inadvertently impede other conversations from occurring and potentially stifle that dialogue.”
However, the commission added that it reserves the right to enforce a new rule, “should it become apparent that regulatory action is necessary.” In the meantime, the OCCC will be tasked with helping to ensure that sportsbooks in Ohio follow the new mandate around MLB betting.
DeWine’s office hopes MLB action solves the problem
For now, MLB is the only pro sports league to implement such a move. Whether other leagues plagued by their own gambling scandals, such as the NBA, will follow suit remains to be seen, as does whether measures could be introduced that go beyond MLB’s very specifically targeted and limited mandate.
DeWine’s office told local media this week that it believes the MLB’s new “micro” bet limits should address the problem, and that they can be a blueprint for other leagues to follow.
“One-off bets that are not affecting the integrity of the game or involving players, especially these low dollar amounts, shouldn’t cause issues,” said DeWine’s spokesperson Dan Tierney, per Cleveland.com. “We are hopeful that this does the job. When you can do things voluntarily and with agreement, it’s a lot easier than trying to force an unwilling partner.”
