{"id":132839,"date":"2026-11-11T17:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T16:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/"},"modified":"2026-11-11T17:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T16:08:17","slug":"ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/","title":{"rendered":"Ohio Senator Pushes to Regulate Prediction Markets and Ban Election Betting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ohio Senator Moves to Regulate Prediction Markets: Proposed Bills Target Sports Contracts and Election Betting<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"key-takeaways\" title=\"Key Takeaways\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Ohio Senator Bill DeMora introduced two bills to regulate sports prediction markets and explicitly ban political betting in the state.<\/li><li>The legislative push follows a recent Sixth Circuit Court ruling that upheld Ohio\u2019s authority to enforce gambling laws against operators like Kalshi.<\/li><li>The Ohio Casino Control Commission issued cease-and-desist letters to ten operators, prompting Robinhood to halt new sports event contracts.<\/li><li>DeMora plans to reintroduce the proposals in 2027 if they do not pass during the current legislative session.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"senate-bills-aim-to-classify-event-contracts-as-sports-gambling\" title=\"Senate bills aim to classify event contracts as sports gambling\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Senate bills aim to classify event contracts as sports gambling<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic state Senator Bill DeMora is actively pushing to bring sports prediction platforms under Ohio gambling regulations. He introduced Senate Bill 430 on April 27 as the sole sponsor to classify contracts based on sports outcomes as sports gaming. This classification requires operators to secure licenses from the <strong>Ohio Casino Control Commission<\/strong> (OCCC).<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The proposed framework imposes the same rules on prediction platforms that existing sportsbooks must follow. Operators would need to implement strict age restrictions, enforce enforcement measures, and adhere to responsible gambling protocols. The bill remains in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming without advancement since May 13.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A second measure targets political event contracts directly. Senate Bill 479, introduced on October 13, is co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Nickie Antonio, Willis Blackshear Jr., and Casey Weinstein. The proposal prohibits any wagers tied to election results, political conventions, nominations, or appointments. Existing licensed sportsbooks in Ohio already operate under a strict ban on political betting, which this bill would extend to prediction markets.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"sixth-circuit-court-backs-state-regulatory-authority\" title=\"Sixth Circuit Court backs state regulatory authority\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sixth Circuit Court backs state regulatory authority<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The renewed legislative focus comes after a major federal court decision regarding the regulatory status of event contracts. The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit delivered a unanimous ruling on September 25 in a case involving prediction market operator Kalshi. Kalshi argued its products were financial instruments governed exclusively by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The three-judge panel rejected the attempt to block Ohio and Tennessee from enforcing their state gambling laws. Judges determined Kalshi failed to prove its sports contracts qualified as swaps under federal commodities law, ruling that the federal framework did not preempt state gambling regulations. The ruling upheld the denial of a preliminary injunction against Ohio while overturning a previous injunction in Tennessee.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal courts remain split on how to classify these markets across different jurisdictions. The Third Circuit recently ruled in favor of Kalshi in a New Jersey case, while the Ninth Circuit sided against the operator in Nevada. Kalshi filed a petition for a panel rehearing and a rehearing en banc on <strong>October 9<\/strong>, and the Sixth Circuit gave Ohio until November 12 to respond.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"regulators-issue-cease-and-desist-orders-to-major-platforms\" title=\"Regulators issue cease-and-desist orders to major platforms\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Regulators issue cease-and-desist orders to major platforms<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State authorities are already taking direct action against unlicensed platforms offering sports event contracts. The OCCC sent formal letters on October 2 to ten different operators and brokers. Targeted companies operating in the sector include <strong>Polymarket, Robinhood, and Coinbase<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The regulator demanded these platforms stop offering sports event contracts to Ohio residents immediately. Robinhood responded by agreeing to halt new sports contracts through its derivatives business by November 2, according to an <strong>October 28<\/strong> securities filing. Regulators agreed to temporarily suspend further enforcement actions while the federal appeals process continues.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DeMora argues that leaving these platforms unregulated deprives the state of significant tax revenue. He estimates Ohio lost hundreds of millions of dollars over the last two-year budget cycle because prediction markets operated outside the standard betting tax framework. Republican Governor Mike DeWine publicly agrees that these contracts constitute gambling.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"political-leadership-changes-may-impact-regulatory-timeline\" title=\"Political leadership changes may impact regulatory timeline\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Political leadership changes may impact regulatory timeline<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The current bills face potential delays due to the upcoming end of the legislative session. Neither proposal has received a formal Senate floor vote yet. DeMora told SBC Americas on November 3 that he plans to bring the legislation back in 2027 if it fails to advance this year.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Changes in state leadership could also impact how Ohio handles prediction markets moving forward. The Senate\u2019s gaming leadership recently changed following Senator Nathan Manning\u2019s appointment to the Ninth District Court of Appeals. Governor DeWine will also leave office at the end of his term in January 2027.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DeMora noted that many lawmakers still lack familiarity with the prediction market sector. This knowledge gap contributes to limited legislative interest in pushing the bills through quickly during the current session.<\/p>\n\n<span class=\"anchor\" id=\"our-assessment\" title=\"Our Assessment\"><\/span><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our Assessment<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legislative push in Ohio highlights a growing conflict between state gambling regulators and prediction market operators. The recent federal court ruling provides Ohio with strong legal backing to treat sports and election contracts as standard gambling products. This approach directly challenges the classification of these markets as federally regulated financial derivatives.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The immediate compliance by operators like Robinhood shows that state-level enforcement can effectively halt operations, even while broader federal appeals are pending. If Ohio successfully licenses and taxes these platforms, other states with established sports betting frameworks may adopt similar strategies. The pending US Supreme Court review requested by New Jersey will likely serve as the definitive legal standard for the entire prediction market industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gambling-disclaimer\">\n\t<p>\n\t\tWe have imposed strict editorial guidelines on ourselves and explain our testing methods openly and comprehensively. We also communicate transparently how our work is financed. This site may contain tracking links, but this does not influence our objective view in any way.\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ohio lawmakers are advancing bills to classify sports event contracts as gambling following a federal court ruling. The new legislation would also enforce a strict ban on political betting across all platforms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":132838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"news_crypto_coin":[],"class_list":["post-132839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail"],"acf":{"faqs":null,"sort_number":999,"sort_number_no_override":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ohio Senator Moves to Regulate Prediction Markets<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ohio Senator Bill DeMora introduces legislation to regulate sports prediction platforms under state gambling laws and ban election betting entirely.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kryptocasinos.com EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ohio Senator Bill DeMora introduces legislation to regulate sports prediction platforms under state gambling laws and ban election betting entirely.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kryptocasinos.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kryptocasinoscomm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-11-11T16:08:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" 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class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Isabella Brown\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/badee6a5ed8b6777da5bd380d112bcdc\"},\"headline\":\"Ohio Senator Pushes to Regulate Prediction Markets and Ban Election Betting\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-11T17:08:17+01:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":864,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/#respond\"]}],\"description\":\"\",\"isAccessibleForFree\":true,\"articleBody\":\"Ohio Senator Moves to Regulate Prediction Markets: Proposed Bills Target Sports Contracts and Election Betting\\n\\nKey Takeaways\\n\\nOhio Senator Bill DeMora introduced two bills to regulate sports prediction markets and explicitly ban political betting in the state.The legislative push follows a recent Sixth Circuit Court ruling that upheld Ohio's authority to enforce gambling laws against operators like Kalshi.The Ohio Casino Control Commission issued cease-and-desist letters to ten operators, prompting Robinhood to halt new sports event contracts.DeMora plans to reintroduce the proposals in 2027 if they do not pass during the current legislative session.\\n\\nSenate bills aim to classify event contracts as sports gambling\\n\\nDemocratic state Senator Bill DeMora is actively pushing to bring sports prediction platforms under Ohio gambling regulations. He introduced Senate Bill 430 on April 27 as the sole sponsor to classify contracts based on sports outcomes as sports gaming. This classification requires operators to secure licenses from the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC).\\n\\nThe proposed framework imposes the same rules on prediction platforms that existing sportsbooks must follow. Operators would need to implement strict age restrictions, enforce enforcement measures, and adhere to responsible gambling protocols. The bill remains in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming without advancement since May 13.\\n\\nA second measure targets political event contracts directly. Senate Bill 479, introduced on October 13, is co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Nickie Antonio, Willis Blackshear Jr., and Casey Weinstein. The proposal prohibits any wagers tied to election results, political conventions, nominations, or appointments. Existing licensed sportsbooks in Ohio already operate under a strict ban on political betting, which this bill would extend to prediction markets.\\n\\nSixth Circuit Court backs state regulatory authority\\n\\nThe renewed legislative focus comes after a major federal court decision regarding the regulatory status of event contracts. The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit delivered a unanimous ruling on September 25 in a case involving prediction market operator Kalshi. Kalshi argued its products were financial instruments governed exclusively by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act.\\n\\nThe three-judge panel rejected the attempt to block Ohio and Tennessee from enforcing their state gambling laws. Judges determined Kalshi failed to prove its sports contracts qualified as swaps under federal commodities law, ruling that the federal framework did not preempt state gambling regulations. The ruling upheld the denial of a preliminary injunction against Ohio while overturning a previous injunction in Tennessee.\\n\\nFederal courts remain split on how to classify these markets across different jurisdictions. The Third Circuit recently ruled in favor of Kalshi in a New Jersey case, while the Ninth Circuit sided against the operator in Nevada. Kalshi filed a petition for a panel rehearing and a rehearing en banc on October 9, and the Sixth Circuit gave Ohio until November 12 to respond.\\n\\nRegulators issue cease-and-desist orders to major platforms\\n\\nState authorities are already taking direct action against unlicensed platforms offering sports event contracts. The OCCC sent formal letters on October 2 to ten different operators and brokers. Targeted companies operating in the sector include Polymarket, Robinhood, and Coinbase.\\n\\nThe regulator demanded these platforms stop offering sports event contracts to Ohio residents immediately. Robinhood responded by agreeing to halt new sports contracts through its derivatives business by November 2, according to an October 28 securities filing. Regulators agreed to temporarily suspend further enforcement actions while the federal appeals process continues.\\n\\nDeMora argues that leaving these platforms unregulated deprives the state of significant tax revenue. He estimates Ohio lost hundreds of millions of dollars over the last two-year budget cycle because prediction markets operated outside the standard betting tax framework. Republican Governor Mike DeWine publicly agrees that these contracts constitute gambling.\\n\\nPolitical leadership changes may impact regulatory timeline\\n\\nThe current bills face potential delays due to the upcoming end of the legislative session. Neither proposal has received a formal Senate floor vote yet. DeMora told SBC Americas on November 3 that he plans to bring the legislation back in 2027 if it fails to advance this year.\\n\\nChanges in state leadership could also impact how Ohio handles prediction markets moving forward. The Senate's gaming leadership recently changed following Senator Nathan Manning's appointment to the Ninth District Court of Appeals. Governor DeWine will also leave office at the end of his term in January 2027.\\n\\nDeMora noted that many lawmakers still lack familiarity with the prediction market sector. This knowledge gap contributes to limited legislative interest in pushing the bills through quickly during the current session.\\n\\nOur Assessment\\n\\nThe legislative push in Ohio highlights a growing conflict between state gambling regulators and prediction market operators. The recent federal court ruling provides Ohio with strong legal backing to treat sports and election contracts as standard gambling products. This approach directly challenges the classification of these markets as federally regulated financial derivatives.\\n\\nThe immediate compliance by operators like Robinhood shows that state-level enforcement can effectively halt operations, even while broader federal appeals are pending. If Ohio successfully licenses and taxes these platforms, other states with established sports betting frameworks may adopt similar strategies. The pending US Supreme Court review requested by New Jersey will likely serve as the definitive legal standard for the entire prediction market industry.\\n\\n\\n\\n\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ohio Senator Moves to Regulate Prediction Markets\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-11T17:08:17+01:00\",\"description\":\"Ohio Senator Bill DeMora introduces legislation to regulate sports prediction platforms under state gambling laws and ban election betting entirely.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg\",\"width\":1408,\"height\":736,\"caption\":\"A document with a wax seal, a gold sports trophy, and an election ballot box.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/news\\\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Ohio Senator Pushes to Regulate Prediction Markets and Ban Election Betting\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Kryptocasinos.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Kryptocasinos.com\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg\",\"width\":109,\"height\":34,\"caption\":\"Kryptocasinos.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/kryptocasinoscomm\\\/\"],\"description\":\"Explore the best crypto casinos for %%currentyear%%. Compare top Bitcoin gambling sites by payouts, bonuses, KYC, and supported coins, with hands-on testing.\",\"address\":{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"streetAddress\":\"557 Fuk Wing St\",\"addressLocality\":\"Cheung Sha Wan\",\"addressRegion\":\"HK\",\"postalCode\":\"999077\",\"addressCountry\":\"CN\"},\"contactPoint\":{\"@type\":\"ContactPoint\",\"email\":\"contact@kryptocasinos.com\"},\"foundingDate\":\"2021-03-27\",\"email\":\"hello@kryptocasinos.com\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"11\",\"maxValue\":\"50\"},\"publishingPrinciples\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/editorial-guidelines\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/badee6a5ed8b6777da5bd380d112bcdc\",\"name\":\"Isabella Brown\",\"description\":\"Isabella Brown is a Senior Editor and Crypto Gambling Analyst at KryptoCasinos.com. 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She covers crypto gambling regulation, casino security, and market developments for US readers, and checks site content for accuracy before publication.\",\"birthDate\":\"1995-02-13\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.kryptocasinos.com\\\/en\\\/author\\\/isabella\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ohio Senator Moves to Regulate Prediction Markets","description":"Ohio Senator Bill DeMora introduces legislation to regulate sports prediction platforms under state gambling laws and ban election betting entirely.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/","og_type":"article","og_title":"Kryptocasinos.com EN","og_description":"Ohio Senator Bill DeMora introduces legislation to regulate sports prediction platforms under state gambling laws and ban election betting entirely.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/","og_site_name":"Kryptocasinos.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kryptocasinoscomm\/","article_published_time":"2026-11-11T16:08:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1408,"height":736,"url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Isabella Brown","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Isabella Brown","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/"},"author":{"name":"Isabella Brown","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/badee6a5ed8b6777da5bd380d112bcdc"},"headline":"Ohio Senator Pushes to Regulate Prediction Markets and Ban Election Betting","datePublished":"2026-11-11T17:08:17+01:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/"},"wordCount":864,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/#respond"]}],"description":"","isAccessibleForFree":true,"articleBody":"Ohio Senator Moves to Regulate Prediction Markets: Proposed Bills Target Sports Contracts and Election Betting\n\nKey Takeaways\n\nOhio Senator Bill DeMora introduced two bills to regulate sports prediction markets and explicitly ban political betting in the state.The legislative push follows a recent Sixth Circuit Court ruling that upheld Ohio's authority to enforce gambling laws against operators like Kalshi.The Ohio Casino Control Commission issued cease-and-desist letters to ten operators, prompting Robinhood to halt new sports event contracts.DeMora plans to reintroduce the proposals in 2027 if they do not pass during the current legislative session.\n\nSenate bills aim to classify event contracts as sports gambling\n\nDemocratic state Senator Bill DeMora is actively pushing to bring sports prediction platforms under Ohio gambling regulations. He introduced Senate Bill 430 on April 27 as the sole sponsor to classify contracts based on sports outcomes as sports gaming. This classification requires operators to secure licenses from the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC).\n\nThe proposed framework imposes the same rules on prediction platforms that existing sportsbooks must follow. Operators would need to implement strict age restrictions, enforce enforcement measures, and adhere to responsible gambling protocols. The bill remains in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming without advancement since May 13.\n\nA second measure targets political event contracts directly. Senate Bill 479, introduced on October 13, is co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Nickie Antonio, Willis Blackshear Jr., and Casey Weinstein. The proposal prohibits any wagers tied to election results, political conventions, nominations, or appointments. Existing licensed sportsbooks in Ohio already operate under a strict ban on political betting, which this bill would extend to prediction markets.\n\nSixth Circuit Court backs state regulatory authority\n\nThe renewed legislative focus comes after a major federal court decision regarding the regulatory status of event contracts. The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit delivered a unanimous ruling on September 25 in a case involving prediction market operator Kalshi. Kalshi argued its products were financial instruments governed exclusively by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act.\n\nThe three-judge panel rejected the attempt to block Ohio and Tennessee from enforcing their state gambling laws. Judges determined Kalshi failed to prove its sports contracts qualified as swaps under federal commodities law, ruling that the federal framework did not preempt state gambling regulations. The ruling upheld the denial of a preliminary injunction against Ohio while overturning a previous injunction in Tennessee.\n\nFederal courts remain split on how to classify these markets across different jurisdictions. The Third Circuit recently ruled in favor of Kalshi in a New Jersey case, while the Ninth Circuit sided against the operator in Nevada. Kalshi filed a petition for a panel rehearing and a rehearing en banc on October 9, and the Sixth Circuit gave Ohio until November 12 to respond.\n\nRegulators issue cease-and-desist orders to major platforms\n\nState authorities are already taking direct action against unlicensed platforms offering sports event contracts. The OCCC sent formal letters on October 2 to ten different operators and brokers. Targeted companies operating in the sector include Polymarket, Robinhood, and Coinbase.\n\nThe regulator demanded these platforms stop offering sports event contracts to Ohio residents immediately. Robinhood responded by agreeing to halt new sports contracts through its derivatives business by November 2, according to an October 28 securities filing. Regulators agreed to temporarily suspend further enforcement actions while the federal appeals process continues.\n\nDeMora argues that leaving these platforms unregulated deprives the state of significant tax revenue. He estimates Ohio lost hundreds of millions of dollars over the last two-year budget cycle because prediction markets operated outside the standard betting tax framework. Republican Governor Mike DeWine publicly agrees that these contracts constitute gambling.\n\nPolitical leadership changes may impact regulatory timeline\n\nThe current bills face potential delays due to the upcoming end of the legislative session. Neither proposal has received a formal Senate floor vote yet. DeMora told SBC Americas on November 3 that he plans to bring the legislation back in 2027 if it fails to advance this year.\n\nChanges in state leadership could also impact how Ohio handles prediction markets moving forward. The Senate's gaming leadership recently changed following Senator Nathan Manning's appointment to the Ninth District Court of Appeals. Governor DeWine will also leave office at the end of his term in January 2027.\n\nDeMora noted that many lawmakers still lack familiarity with the prediction market sector. This knowledge gap contributes to limited legislative interest in pushing the bills through quickly during the current session.\n\nOur Assessment\n\nThe legislative push in Ohio highlights a growing conflict between state gambling regulators and prediction market operators. The recent federal court ruling provides Ohio with strong legal backing to treat sports and election contracts as standard gambling products. This approach directly challenges the classification of these markets as federally regulated financial derivatives.\n\nThe immediate compliance by operators like Robinhood shows that state-level enforcement can effectively halt operations, even while broader federal appeals are pending. If Ohio successfully licenses and taxes these platforms, other states with established sports betting frameworks may adopt similar strategies. The pending US Supreme Court review requested by New Jersey will likely serve as the definitive legal standard for the entire prediction market industry.\n\n\n\n"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/","name":"Ohio Senator Moves to Regulate Prediction Markets","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg","datePublished":"2026-11-11T17:08:17+01:00","description":"Ohio Senator Bill DeMora introduces legislation to regulate sports prediction platforms under state gambling laws and ban election betting entirely.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting.jpg","width":1408,"height":736,"caption":"A document with a wax seal, a gold sports trophy, and an election ballot box."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/news\/ohio-senator-regulate-prediction-markets-election-betting\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ohio Senator Pushes to Regulate Prediction Markets and Ban Election Betting"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/","name":"Kryptocasinos.com","description":"","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Kryptocasinos.com","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/kryptocasinos-com-logo.svg","width":109,"height":34,"caption":"Kryptocasinos.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kryptocasinos.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kryptocasinoscomm\/"],"description":"Explore the best crypto casinos for %%currentyear%%. 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