Ohio’s sports betting scene is about to take a major hit, and you can thank a couple of Cleveland Guardians pitchers for lighting the fuse. Governor Mike DeWine isn’t holding back after back-to-back gambling allegations rocked the Guardians’ clubhouse. First, it was pitcher Luis Ortiz, then closer Emmanuel Clase, both placed on paid leave in July as Major League Baseball launched investigations into alleged betting on games, and yes, their own team’s games. That’s not just messy. It’s a full-blown integrity crisis.
In response, Mike DeWine is pushing to ban proposition bets, aka prop bets, across the state. If you’ve ever gambled on whether a pitcher racks up 6+ strikeouts or if your favorite slugger goes yard, congrats: you’ve made a prop bet. But that kind of player-specific action might be toast in Ohio if DeWine gets his way.
“The evidence that prop betting is harming athletics in Ohio is reaching critical mass,” DeWine said in a news release. “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.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Takes Action Against Prop Bets
Yikes, that’s not a slap on the wrist; that’s a full shutdown notice. DeWine is now calling on the Ohio Casino Control Commission to eliminate prop bets from the types of wagers. But he’s not stopping there. He also wants major sports leagues, from MLB to the NBA, NFL, WNBA, NHL, and MLS, and their respective players unions to back the ban. He’s essentially saying: enough is enough.
It’s not the first time Mike DeWine’s stepped into the sports betting spotlight. Back in 2023, shortly after Ohio launched legalized sports gambling. He spoke out after threats were made against the University of Dayton basketball players. By early 2024, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, at DeWine’s urging and after a letter from NCAA President Charlie Baker, moved to ban prop bets on college athletes.
“The Ohio Casino Control Commission took quick action to protect student athletes from unnecessary and potentially harmful threats,” DeWine said at the time. “Amending rules to focus bets on the team and away from individual athletes will improve the marketplace in Ohio and properly focus betting attention on the teams and away from individual student athletes.”
The Cleveland Guardians’ Gambling Scandal
Now, he wants the same protection extended to pro players, yes, even multi-million-dollar ones. The controversy exploded this summer when MLB placed Luis Ortiz on non-disciplinary paid leave on July 3 to investigate gambling allegations tied to Guardians games in June.
Just two weeks later, that leave was extended through August 31. Then in July, boom, All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase was also placed on leave as part of the same betting probe. However, some Ohioans are taking a stand on social media. “Just have professional athletes follow the rules,” one wrote. It seems as though many do not want the fun to end just because a few players got caught.
That’s two bullpen arms gone, and the Guardians suddenly have more off-the-field headlines than wins. Not ideal for a team trying to stay in the playoff race. Whether or not Ortiz or Clase actually bet on games, or even worse, on themselves, remains under MLB’s microscope. But the fallout is already happening, and DeWine is clearly done playing defense.
If his proposed ban moves forward, Ohio could become one of the first states to take a hard stance against the increasingly popular prop bet trend. It’s a bold move in a country where gambling is becoming more mainstream by the day, with sports leagues partnering with betting apps and fans placing real-time bets from their couch. But DeWine’s message is loud and clear: when it starts messing with players, teams, and trust in the game, the house doesn’t always win. Stay tuned, this fight over prop bets is just getting started.
Casey James 
Nina Franklin 
Emma Taylor 
