Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine — pictured here giving his State of the State address, is saying the obvious: There's absolutely not good reason not to increase taxes on sports betting companies to pay for stadiums. Yet Ohio lawmakers refuse. Why do you think that is. (Samantha Madar/The Columbus Dispatch via AP, Pool) APAP
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s proposal to double the sports betting tax rate to fund sports stadiums is a winning idea, and Today in Ohio podcasters minced no words about lawmakers refusing to embrace “the no-brainer of no-brainers.”
At a Columbus Metropolitan Club luncheon, DeWine forcefully defended his plan to increase the sports betting tax to 40 percent, which would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in short order to fund professional sports stadiums and youth sports programs. Lisa Garvin quoted DeWIne’s point, that “99 and a half percent of online gambling money goes to out of state companies that don’t employ Ohioans or give to our state economy.”
The proposal comes as the Ohio House Finance Committee prepares to strip the betting tax increase from the budget, claiming Republican discomfort with tax increases. But Chris Quinn poked holes in the idea this would be a tax increase.
“This isn’t what they think of as a tax increase. A tax increase is a sales tax increase. It’s a property tax increase,” Quinn argued. “This is a tax on a business that has no investment in Ohio. They don’t have bricks and mortar. They don’t employ anybody here and they’re the only ones who pay it.”
Quinn’s criticism of the legislature escalated sharply as he questioned lawmakers’ motives: “This is the no brainer of no brainers. And I think it’s the best illustration we’ve ever seen about how crooked the legislature is… The only reason you don’t do this is for bad reasons.”
The sports betting industry’s opposition to the tax has been equally intense. According to Quinn, “The sports betting companies are in overdrive telling lies about how this is going to cost Ohioans money. It won’t cost them any money.”
While Ohio’s proposed 40% rate might seem steep to some, Lisa Garvin pointed out that “there are states ahead of us that are charging 50% tax on sports gambling.”
The debate highlights the complex intersection of sports, taxation, and state financing. Sports betting has become a multi-billion dollar industry since legalization, and Quinn pointed out that the state’s initial tax rate was “completely arbitrary. They could have set that tax at whatever they wanted to start.”
The podcast debate raises important questions about who benefits from Ohio’s sports betting industry and whether out-of-state companies should contribute more to local infrastructure. It also comes as the Legislature prepares to borrow $600 million for a new Cleveland Browns stadium, borrowing that would not be needed if lawmakers increased the betting tax.
Because the loan is in a budget bill, DeWine retains the option of a line-item veto — a power that could bring even more attention to what Quinn called the crookedness of the Legislature in rejecting the tax.
Want to hear the full exchange about sports betting taxes and stadium funding? Listen to the complete episode of Today in Ohio for more insights and unfiltered opinions on this controversial proposal.
Note: Artificial intelligence was used to help generate this story from Today in Ohio, a news podcast discussion by cleveland.com editors. Visitors to cleveland.com have asked for more text stories based on website podcast discussions.
Listen to full “Today in Ohio” episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with impact editor Leila Atassi and content director Laura Johnston.
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