The Brendan Sorsby gambling saga had a far reaching impact on college sports. The argument that he tampered with the integrity of the sport was one thing. But beyond sports, Sorsby has also influenced state legislation: the state of Ohio has now introduced a new bill to ban online sports betting to curb this addiction among its population.

Lawmakers in the state of Ohio have formally introduced House Bill 971 (HB 971), the Save Ohio Sports Act, to ban online sports betting. It is referred to as “one of the most aggressive proposals targeting US online sportsbooks in recent years” and would impose restrictions on retail wagering. With the proposed legislation, legislators want to protect consumers within the state. Ohio State athletes, already bound by NCAA rules, will face dual enforcement under state law if HB 971 passes.

Sponsored by Republican State Representatives Johnathan Newman and Beth Lear, the legislation addresses growing concerns over predatory industry practices, severe gambling addiction, and sports integrity. Online sports betting was not a thing in Ohio until December 8, 2021, when Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29 into law. However, the online and retail sports betting market was not open for wagering across the state until January 1, 2023. The market enjoyed significant success almost immediately and became one of the nation’s largest regulated sports betting jurisdictions.

Now, just three years after legalizing it, the state is about to return to its former position regarding sports betting. Once the bill is passed, online sportsbooks, college sports parlays, player proposition bets, and live betting would all be prohibited in the state. As a result, sportsbooks would only be able to offer traditional single-game wagers.

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Mobile sportsbook operations would be geofenced directly to Ohio’s four licensed casinos. This effectively eliminates 24/7 smartphone gambling from anywhere in the state. Bettors would be legally prohibited from funding their wagers using credit cards or debt. Individual wagers would be capped at a maximum of $100.

Users would also be limited to a maximum of eight total bets within any 24-hour window. The bill further eliminates sports-betting kiosks operated through the Ohio Lottery and completely bans promotional “free/bonus bets”. Sportsbook advertisements would be banned during live broadcasts and inside sports venues.

The state’s casinos would not be affected if the bill becomes law but would face new restrictions as a result. There would also be strict wagering limits for customers, with individual bets no longer exceeding $100. Bettors would also be restricted to just eight bets within any 24-hour period.

Proponents of the bill have the Brendan Sorsby situation as a case study, where gambling addictions become the outcome of uncontrolled betting. They further  point out that gambling addiction carries exceptionally high suicide rates. They argue that monetizing addiction to fund public education is an unethical direction for Ohio. Lawmakers also cited an NCAA report finding that 36% of Division 1 athletes received abusive or threatening communications from bettors trying to influence games.

However, its critics are concerned about the shutting down of these companies, reduced tax revenue, and a complete elimination of a market that was already being regulated. In 2025, sports betting generated approximately $1 billion in taxable revenue for Ohio. Crucially, 98.6% of that revenue came from mobile apps outside of physical casinos.

Passing this bill would effectively erase that tax stream from the state budget. In the coming weeks, the state would have to choose between greater economic success and protecting citizens from a widespread addiction.

So much about the proposed bill points to Brendan Sorsby and his gambling addiction. And while the case ended with Sorsby opting out, it will keep impacting the stance of sports bodies and the state towards betting.

Brendan Sorsby’s gambling controversy

Brendan Sorsby, after investigations, was found to have placed thousands of bets during the course of his four-year collegiate stint. He placed over 2,900 wagers while at Indiana and even bet against his own team, aside from the ones at Cincinnati, spending over $90,000 in four years.

His actions violated NCAA rules, which prohibit players from betting on their own programs or on any sport sponsored by the NCAA. As a result, he was deemed permanently ineligible to play college football. However, Sorsby fought back in court and won the case against the NCAA.

The court issued a temporary injunction against the NCAA, preventing the body from enforcing its rules and banning Sorsby for just two games. There was an uproar afterward, and the Big 12 filed a lawsuit in a higher court against Texas Tech so it would face no hindrance in enforcing its own rules against the program for fielding Sorsby.

To quell the controversy, Sorsby entered the NFL Supplemental Draft but was rejected by the NFL.