Ohio's lower house approved on Thursday a proposal to legalize sports betting which would put the Ohio Lottery Commission in charge of regulating the activity.
H.B.194, which was passed by a vote of 83-10, would allow mobile-phone-based use of sports wagering apps at whatever location the regulatory agency deems appropriate, and could also prohibit gambling in certain locations such as schools via GPS geofencing.
The bill could see sports betting allowed not only on mobile phones but also at carry-outs, restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, and other small service businesses in Ohio, as well as the more traditional casinos and race tracks.
Meanwhile, the Ohio Senate is looking to pass its own bill that would have the Casino Control Commission oversee sports betting, Cleveland 19 reports, and could more likely limit the placement of sports betting to those traditional gambling facilities.
Both the House and Senate will go into negotiations over the bills, and if they reach an agreement, the amended legislation would then go to Gov. Mike DeWine for final approval.
Since the United States' federal ban on sports gambling was struck down in 2018, multiple neighboring states including Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia and Michigan have already approved sports betting.