Ohio Moving to Ban Prop Bets Amid Guardians Gambling Investigation

Ohio gambling regulators may change the state’s gambling rules in light of the investigation into two Guardians pitchers. 

The state’s Casino Control Commission is drafting a rule to put limitations on player prop bets, the commission’s assistant general council said last week.

The proposed change comes after Republican Gov. Mike DeWine asked the commission to ban bets on “highly specific events within games that are completely controlled by one player.” 

“The harm to athletes and the integrity of the game is clear, and the benefits are not worth the harm,” DeWine said in a statement. “The prop betting experiment in this country has failed badly.”

DeWine’s comments came weeks after MLB placed Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz on non-disciplinary paid leave over a gambling inquiry. 

Clase’s involvement in the investigation reportedly stems from two pitches he threw in separate games in June, according to ESPN. An abnormal amount of money was bet on the closer to either hit the batter or throw a ball, according to a reported alert from gambling integrity firm IC360. Both of Clase’s pitches were thrown far from the strike zone. 

The rule is still in its infant stages and won’t take effect until a hearing is held after a 30-day notice. It would then be published in the Register of Ohio, which is updated weekly. The specific limitations the rule would place on prop bets is currently unclear, but a commission spokesperson previously said it would “prohibit player-specific micro wagers.” The proposed change is already drawing opposition. 

“Ohio legalized sports betting with bipartisan support,” Rep. Brian Stewart, a Republican, posted on X last week. “It’s a popular activity that adults should be free to enjoy. Prop bets are a big part of that plus they make up a substantial % of Ohio’s tax revenue. They should not be banned & I’ll be working to make sure they aren’t.”

Ohio already bans prop bets on college sports, a change it made in February 2024 at the request of NCAA president Charlie Baker. Sixteen other states have banned prop bets on college sports.