Not Just Predictable, Predicted: How Betting is Destroying Sports
In 2019, long before the floodgates of legalized gambling officially opened in Ohio, a clear warning was delivered to the Statehouse. Aaron Baer, testifying before the Ohio House Finance Committee, didn't mince words about the "gold rush" lawmakers were so eager to join.
"Ohio is a state that loves our sporting events from the Buckeyes, to the Tribe, to the Blue Jackets, to the Bengals, our sports teams are at the heart of our communities. Introducing sports betting into Ohio can undermine the integrity of these competitions."
CCV saw the writing on the wall. We were ignored. And today, the devastation has arrived faster, louder, and more aggressively than anyone ever thought possible.
the "Reverse Robin Hood"
Baer’s central argument in that 2019 testimony was that sports betting is never a victimless revenue stream. He described it as an "exploitative gaming" expansion that would target those who could least afford it.
Studies show that 61% of lottery and gambling players come from the lowest socio-economic bracket. This isn't a "libertarian" win for individual liberty. As Baer noted, you don't see the lottery billboards in wealthy enclaves like Indian Hill; you see them in impoverished neighborhoods where the "aspirations of the impoverished" are used as fuel for the industry.
The Digital Hijacking of the Human Brain
One of the most chilling aspects of the 2019 warning was the focus on mobile devices. Long before "bonus bets" and "parlays" were common household terms, the warning was clear: mobile gaming is designed to create addicts.
The Dopamine Loop: Betting apps are engineered like high-tech drugs. They use strategies to spike dopamine levels—the brain chemical responsible for pleasure, thus creating a cycle of dependency identical to substance abuse.
The "Everything is a Bet" Culture: As the documentary Out of Bounds: The Sports Betting Boom explores, we have raised a generation on the "thrill to bet." By embedding gambling into every highlight and broadcast, the industry has successfully made betting feel like a "fundamental part of athletics."
The Integrity Crisis: From Locker Rooms to Living Rooms
The erosion is also moral. Baer’s 2019 testimony cited a "serious integrity problem" in sports like tennis, where nearly 15% of players had first-hand knowledge of match-fixing.
Now, nearly seven years later, that rot is everywhere. When the game itself becomes a secondary vehicle for a wager, the purity of competition vanishes. Fans no longer cheer for their team; they bark at athletes on social media for failing to cover a spread. The integrity of the game, the very heart of our communities in Ohio, has been continually undermined by the constant presence of the "house."
DeWine’s “Biggest Mistake"
The most staggering validation of these warnings came recently from the top of the state government. Governor Mike DeWine, who presided over this expansion, now views the legalization of sports gambling as his "biggest mistake."
Recently, DeWine lamented the "sheer volume of advertising" and the way it has "permeated our culture." It is a rare moment of political candor, but it comes too late. This disaster predicted by CCV and others (the surge in addiction, the financial ruin of families, and the corruption of the sport) is no longer a "potential" threat. It is our current reality.
The House Always Wins
The powerful special interests pushing these bills knew exactly what they were doing. They created a program "stacked against the bettor," ensuring that while families lose their savings and young people lose their focus, the gambling industry wins record profits.
What happened in Ohio wasn't unpredictable. But it has become a very real catastrophe. Ohio ignored the warnings of "exploitative gaming" and "reverse Robin Hood" schemes, and now we are left to sift through the wreckage that comes when our sports are sold to the highest bidder.
Action Steps: How to Break free From predatory Gambling
If you or someone you know is struggling, check out TimeOutOhio.com. This state-mandated program allows individuals to voluntarily ban themselves from all Ohio casinos and sports gaming apps. This allows Ohioans to stop the dopamine loop before it causes total ruin.
You can also check out the video How To Stop Gambling In 2026. This video provides a practical, grounded system for breaking the cycle of dopamine-driven addiction and creating the necessary distance between yourself and predatory gambling apps.
LEARN MORE
On this special livestream, CCV President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, and Communications Director Mike Andrews are joined by national experts for an in-depth discussion on the devastating impact that expanding predatory gambling would have on Ohio families, businesses, and communities.
CCV Policy Director David Mahan testified against the expansion of predatory gambling on May 28, 2025, in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming.
CCV hosted a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse alongside members of the Ohio General Assembly and pastors from across the state to oppose the proposed legislation that would dramatically expand predatory gambling in Ohio.
