COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As sports betting is scheduled to start in Ohio on Jan. 1, new polling shows a majority of Ohioans do not plan to bet on any sports.
According to our new polling through NBC4, Emerson College and The Hill, 84% percent of Ohioans do not plan to betting on sports.
“I don’t participate, and I don’t agree with it,” voter Pat Ross said,
“I have enough vices already,” voter Paul Vanwagenen said. “I’ll pass on gambling, thank you.”
Eight percent of Ohioans who do plan on wagering on sports say they’ll use a combination of online and in-person betting. Voters like Corey Lancaster said, as long as it’s profitable for Ohio, he is on board.
“I’m not much of a betting man, but I am happy the option is there for the people who do want to engage in it,” Lancaster said.
The state estimates more than $3 billion in revenue after ‘several years of operation.’ But, some said, revenue aside, sports betting takes away the fun of watching sports and rooting for your team.
“It’s whether they covered the spread and I just think its fueled so much in terms of a negative impact on what purity there was in sports,” voter Larry Hanna said.
“I think we’re enticing people to have another addiction,” Ross said. “And there’s enough addictions out there we have to deal with.”
State representatives previously told NBC4 there is a significant amount of money allocated for addiction issues that may arise. The law also creates a committee to study sports gaming and problem gambling.