COLUMBUS, Ohio – July 29, 2025 — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is calling for the removal of prop bets from Ohio’s legal sports betting offerings, citing growing concerns over athlete safety and the integrity of professional and collegiate sports. The request follows a Major League Baseball (MLB) investigation that has led to the temporary suspension of two Cleveland Guardians pitchers.
Governor DeWine directed his appeal to the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), urging the agency to eliminate prop bets—particularly micro prop bets, which focus on highly specific, single-player actions within a game.
“The evidence that prop betting is harming athletics in Ohio is reaching critical mass,” said Governor DeWine. “The harm to athletes and the integrity of the game is clear, and the benefits are not worth the harm. The prop betting experiment in this country has failed badly.”
The Governor’s remarks follow MLB’s announcement that Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase have both been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through August 31, 2025, amid a sports betting investigation. Media reports indicate that the probe centers on unusual betting activity involving prop bets during Guardians games in June in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio.
DeWine also pointed to earlier incidents, including threats made against collegiate athletes, notably players from the University of Dayton Flyers, following the launch of legal sports betting in Ohio in January 2023. He has previously supported legislation addressing the issue, including changes enacted under House Bill 33, the biennial budget, which led to the OCCC banning collegiate prop bets in February 2024.
While collegiate prop bets have since been removed from Ohio’s betting markets, professional-level prop bets remain legal. Governor DeWine is now urging broader action.
In addition to calling on the OCCC, DeWine stated he will also ask commissioners and players unions of the six major U.S. sports leagues—MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, and MLS—to support the removal of all prop bets to protect athletes and maintain public trust in the integrity of sports.
Background on Prop Bet Concerns:
- Prop bets are wagers on specific events within a game, such as a player’s number of strikeouts or touchdowns, rather than the game’s final outcome.
- Micro prop bets are narrower in scope and can focus on outcomes directly controlled by a single athlete, raising concerns about manipulation and targeting.
The OCCC has not yet issued a public response to the Governor’s latest request.
