GOP proposal would ban college sports, cell phone bets in Ohio

(The Center Square) – A group of Republican Ohio lawmakers want to significantly restrict sports betting in Ohio, banning all gambling on college sports and bets placed on cell phones.

The move to take away options from bettors comes three years after the state approved legalized sports wagering and it collected billions in taxes over that time.

But State. Rep. Riordan McClain, R-Upper Sandusky, thinks it’s all too much.

“It’s impossible to watch the games or even listen to sports content without being bombarded with advertisements and offers from gambling companies, particularly focused on the winning,” McClain said.

And he believes the reality is that most betters don’t win.

“Regularly referenced stats show that only 5% of betters are profitable,” McClain said. “And those betters that do win are quickly identified and often by the gambling companies,” he said. “That means that 95% of Ohioans that are betting make deposits, not withdrawals.”

Other lawmakers think sp...