Is there a league-led effort underway to ban so-called “microbetting” across the entirety of the United States?
Comments from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, an opponent of the rapid-fire, in-play form of sports betting, suggest there could be.
- Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has paused his push for a state-level microbetting ban while professional sports leagues explore a potential nationwide prohibition.
- The move follows recent betting scandals and growing concerns from leagues like the NBA about integrity risks tied to in-play and player-specific wagers.
- Microbetting represents a small share of the U.S. sports betting market but is rapidly expanding and could exceed $3.5 billion in annual revenue by 2030.
DeWine is temporarily pumping the brakes on a push to ban microbetting offered by Ohio sports betting sites and will await the results of a similar-minded effort by professional sports leagues in the U.S., according to Cleveland.com. Those leagues, the governor suggested, are eyeing a possible nationwide prohibition on microbetting markets.
“But if we can’t get it done, I think as governor, I’ve got an obligation to take action,” DeWine said in an interview Monday.
Ohio’s governor called for a statewide ban on prop betting markets - which he later narrowed to a call for a statewide ban on microbetting markets - this summer after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were put on leave in connection with a sports betting-related investigation by Major League Baseball.
The proposed ban was then kicked over to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, which has not yet implemented any new microbetting restrictions for online sportsbook operators.
Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday that he won't wait much longer before seeking an Ohio ban on "microprop" bets, which have been at the center of recent gambling scandals. https://t.co/15OMIuSLJz
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) October 28, 2025
However, last week’s announcement of criminal charges tied to allegedly “fraudulent” wagering on NBA games using nonpublic information has reignited interest in clamping down on what sorts of betting markets are being offered by state-regulated sportsbooks. The NBA, for instance, sent out a memo to its teams stating that "proposition bets on individual player performance involve heightened integrity concerns and require additional scrutiny."
So-called “microbetting” could fall into this area of concern for sports leagues. Those in-play betting markets involve gambling on things such as whether the first pitch in a baseball game will be a ball or a strike, or if the next drive in a football game will result in a touchdown.
DeWine met with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred soon after his call for a statewide ban and was told there was an effort afoot to "get a consensus with the other sports leagues and gaming industry leaders to get rid of 'microprop' bets,'" per Cleveland.com.
"DeWine said that an official in Manfred’s office on Monday (Oct. 27) asked the governor to hold off on seeking an Ohio 'microprop' ban until after the World Series, when DeWine and Manfred could talk again," the news outlet added.
Microbetting, macro problem?
Covers contacted the governor’s office about his comments but did not receive a response before this story was published.
Ohio is not the only state where there is concern over microbetting, though. A New Jersey lawmaker proposed a similar ban in July.
Microbetting is a relatively small percentage of overall sportsbook handle in the U.S., but it has been growing.
In May, analysts at investment bank Citizens estimated that microbetting could generate around $1.1 billion in revenue this year. By 2030, the forecast was for roughly $3.5 billion in microbetting-related revenue, or more than 10% of sports betting receipts.
“We believe micro betting penetration is further along in the U.S., which we estimate accounts for 6% to 7% of total sports betting revenue, or 15% of in-play, with the vast majority generated from DraftKings,” the Citizens analysts wrote.
