A mere two days since the legalization of sports betting in Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine is already questioning the legality of some companies’ practices.
In his first remarks on the matter since the state’s legalized sports betting on Sunday, DeWine said he had taken a personal interest in upholding state laws governing gambling organizations’ advertising.
“The companies that are doing the massive advertising need to be aware that they’re being looked at very closely by the governor and the Casino Control Commission in regard to statements that they are making. We believe that at least on several occasions they’ve already crossed the line. My message to them is that this will not be tolerated in the State of Ohio,” DeWine said.
On Tuesday, DeWine told reporters that he had discussed his concerns with Matt Schuler, the executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the state body in charge of overseeing gambling in Ohio, as well as with a number of the commission’s board members.
He cited the $350,000 fine the Ohio Casino Control Commission wants to impose against DraftKings, who allegedly sent approximately 2,500 advertisements to underage customers. If the violation took place, the Ohio Casino Control Commission might require DraftKings to establish new policies to make sure that they do not provide marketing materials to anyone with an unvalidated age.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission also issued a notice of violation last month to Penn Sports Interactive due to the promotion of sports betting in Ohio to underage bettors on a college campus. They could receive a $250,000 fine for the violation.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association prohibits this on college campuses and in front of an audience under 21 years old.
As part of the effort to entice clients into the new betting market, DeWine also brought attention to the promotions that gaming businesses provide, such as those giving free betting credits.
“That’s a pretty clear line they cannot cross. I also think they must be very careful, candidly, in regard to the claim of ‘free money and free gaming.’ When you look at the fine print or try to figure out what it really means, it doesn’t mean what certainly is being implied by the TV advertising,” DeWine said.
According to Jessica Franks, the director of communications with the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the commission “shares the Governor’s concerns” about sports betting advertising and promotions.
Franks told The Ohio Star that it was “disappointing” that the commission had to release twice guidelines on the proper use of advertising in the week leading up to the state’s January 1st universal launch.
Franks omitted to say which sportsbooks fell under the “explicit guidelines” that she said the Ohio Casino Control Commission issued in the days before the New Year’s Day launch.
Franks told The Star that the commission would continue to monitor any sports betting laws infractions as the state expands its sports betting market.
“We take our responsibilities very seriously and would like for the industry to do the same,” Franks told The Star.
In December 2021, DeWine signed a bill making sports betting legal in Ohio. Sports betting was only officially legal on Sunday, as per the January 1, 2023, deadline set by state lawmakers. The state set up the program during the previous year, which also created laws and issued licenses to operators for both mobile and land-based sports betting.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Mike DeWine” by Mike DeWine.
