Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Sportsbetting Bill

This week two Ohio state senators introduced a new bill that would legalize sportsbetting within the state's borders, bringing it in line with other states such as Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware.

The bill, which is officially known as Senate Bill 316, would legalize sports wagers in the Buckeye State. The measure was introduced by Senators John Eklund and Sean O'Brien, each from the Republican and Democrat party. Thus far, there isn't much in terms of details in the bill, but this is intentional by both senators. They're aiming to solicit opinions for the matter, which could then be added to the bill.

O'Brien envisions the activity being offered at existing racetracks and casinos, but not at convenience stores or bars. "My thinking right now is we already have casinos and racinos set up. I'd kind of like to keep it in those institutions because they are set up for gaming. I'm not sure we want it in every 7-Eleven ...and every bar," the senator said.

These measures will be discussed as the months go by, with matters such as taxation being penciled in after debate. Sportsbetting could prove to be very popular in Ohio, which has a population of 11.66 million. This puts it slightly above New Jersey, which has 10 million residents and generated more than $16 million in wagers during the activity's first two weeks last month.

We'll be following this story and updating readers as we learn more.