The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) is advancing a regulation that will ban sports bettors in the state from using credit cards to fund their wagers, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the agency on Thursday.

This rule is not yet in effect. Before it can be enacted, it must clear Ohio’s Common Sense Initiative and receive the nod from the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.

Currently, more than a dozen online sportsbooks are functioning in Ohio, which complicates the tracking of individual spending habits across different platforms, according to Derek Longmeier, Executive Director of the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio.

“A fundamental principle of low-risk gambling is to only use money that you possess,” Longmeier stated in an interview last Monday. “Utilizing a credit card to place bets clearly exceeds that principle.”

Unlikely Progress for Legislative Reform

Separately, a coalition of conservative lawmakers has proposed legislation advocating for comprehensive adjustments to sports betting laws, which includes a ban on online betting. This proposal has garnered the support of faith-based groups and mental health advocates. However, these bills are expected to face significant hurdles in the current legislative environment.

When sports betting was legalized in Ohio in 2021, only 14 out of 132 state legislators voted against it. Since then, Gov. Mike DeWine has referred to his decision to sign that law as his “biggest mistake.”

Concerns Over Gambling on the Rise

Ohio presents identifiable risk factors linked to gambling that have existed before the state’s gambling expansion. A survey conducted in 2022 indicated that 20% of Ohio residents fall into the “at-risk” gambler category. Additionally, calls to the state’s gambling help hotline saw a notable increase in 2023, as reported by WVXU.

If this regulation takes effect, Ohio will join about six other states that have enacted similar bans. States like Illinois and Tennessee currently restrict the usage of credit cards for sports betting transactions.