Governor DeWine Targets Micro Prop Bets
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is actively working with Major League Baseball (MLB) to ban “micro prop” wagers, citing a significant threat to the integrity of professional sports. DeWine believes that recent gambling scandals involving the MLB’s Guardians and the NBA are merely the “tip of the iceberg” and require immediate action. He stated that eliminating micro betting is an excellent way to confront the issue.
The Danger of Micro Prop Bets
Governor DeWine argues that these granular wagers are “inherently a problem” that must be addressed swiftly.
The Governor is focusing specifically on micro prop bets, which are wagers placed on the outcome of a single play or situation within a game, often controllable by a single athlete. Examples include betting on whether the first pitch in a baseball game is a ball or a strike, or how many strikeouts a pitcher will achieve.
DeWine stated: “These micro prop bets are just very dangerous. They’re really a great threat to the integrity of sports.” He added that the issue is “pretty obvious” and more scandals involving prop bets are likely in the future.
While DeWine initially called for a ban on all prop bets placed on individual player performances, he has since narrowed his focus to the “micro prop” category. He emphasized that the underlying corruption problem extends across baseball and other sports.
Nationwide Ban Strategy and Ohio’s Next Steps
Governor DeWine is prioritizing a national solution and is coordinating with professional sports leagues.
On October 28, the Governor revealed that the MLB Commissioner’s Office informed him they were close to an agreement with almost every sports betting operator to ban these wagers in baseball. DeWine reported that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is leading a joint effort with the commissioners of the other major U.S. professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, and Major League Soccer) to pursue a nationwide ban across all 50 states.
DeWine believes a “holistic solution” covering the entire country is the best way to solve the micro betting problem. He feels that the leagues driving this effort opens the door to legally eliminate such bets nationwide.
Despite favoring a national solution, the Governor affirmed he has an “obligation to take action” on the state level if the leagues fail to act quickly. DeWine agreed to pause regulatory action until after the World Series, per a request from Manfred’s office.
However, DeWine stressed that he is “not going to wait much longer.” If a nationwide ban is not achieved, he stated he will “probably” instruct the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) to impose a state-level ban on these wagers. If a sports league petitions the OCCC to change the rules regarding micro bets, the agency can implement the ban without going through the Ohio Legislature.
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