CINCINNATI (WKRC) - For the first time in Ohio’s 220-year history, those who wanted to legally place a bet on the Super Bowl got that opportunity. In fact, more people were betting in Ohio than in the home state of the Eagles.
But is the payoff worth it? Does the influx of money flowing in outweigh the increase in gambling addiction rearing its ugly head?
The American Gaming Association estimates $16 billion dollars in Super Bowl bets were placed across the United States, and Ohio may very well be a frontrunner.
A company called GeoComply that verifies the location of betters for online sportbooks says Ohio had almost 13 million accounts active, second only to New York.
“Prior to its launch, I spoke to a lot of sports gaming experts, and they all predicted that Ohio could be a top five market in the country,” said Robert Linnehan, a sports betting regulatory editor for XL Media.
The Ohio Gaming Commission has not released the amount wagered for the Super Bowl, but we do know most of this revenue stream is supposed to benefit schools.
It’s happening whether or not it’s legal, so you might as well make it legal," said Linnehan. "You might as well tap into another tax revenue stream.
The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio has been tracking the calls on the Ohio Gambling Helpline. In January 2022, it saw less than 500 calls. In January 2023, over 1,500 calls for help came in.
The main thing to focus on is, when does gambling become problematic?" said Derek Longmeier, the executive director for the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio. “The way the legislation is written out is the 98 percent goes to schools, and then two percent is set aside for problem sports gaming, and that is left to the Gaming Control Commission to make that determination.
The commission hasn't made a determination on how that two percent will be used, but there are already tools for those struggling with addiction: you can self report, put yourself on exclusion lists, and the helpline is supposed to be marketed everywhere you can bet.
The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio says a tell-tale sign you have a gambling issue is that sports betting no longer becomes fun, or if you're betting to win back money.
If you need help, you can call the Ohio Gambling Problem Helpline at (800) 589-9966.