By John Hilber / Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State NewsLab-Ohio News Connection Collaboration.

In the first two days after sports betting was legalized, Ohio saw over 11.3 million bets placed - nearly one for every Ohio resident, according to the Cincinnati Bar Association.

Within a year, Ohioans had bet $7.65 billion on sports.

Sports betting became legal in Ohio effective Jan. 1, 2023. Since then, sports betting has driven a significant increase in state tax revenue and sports viewership - along with reports of problem gambling, experts say.

"The number one driver [of legalizing sports gambling] is a tax revenue opportunity," said Stephen Shapiro, a professor in the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management at the University of South Carolina. "In states where it is not legal, it's illegal gambling, and the state is seeing no benefit from that. So that's revenue that did not exist before, and it could be used for a variety of benefits for the state."

In 2023, Ohio collected more than $936 million in tax revenue from sports betting. Gamblers have to pay a 10% tax on all winnings. According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, the state uses the taxes to fund different Gross Casino Revenue Funds and efforts to help with gambling problems.

Apps like FanDuel and DraftKings facilitate many sports bets in the 38 states that have legalized it. By using apps, gamblers aren't limited to traditional bets on the margin of victory or bets on who wins or loses outright - they have many options per sporting event, like multi-stage parlays, event-based bets and individual performance bets.

"Traditionally, someone could have bet on this game, and they watch the game in its entirety, and they win or lose based on the outcome and the score - it's one bet," Shapiro said. "Now, in this particular game, the Packers get the ball, and they drive down the field and score a touchdown, and there were 20 opportunities to bet during that one drive."

Gambling means more people watching sports, experts say

Now legal in most of the United States, sports betting has shown some benefits for professional sports leagues.

"People are definitely watching sports that they have not watched before due to gambling - there is no question about it," Shapiro said. "It leads to more consumption and consumption of sports that you're not typically watching."

That may be because gambling can heighten viewers' excitement.

"Gambling, for the most part, provides people with the opportunity to get excited because of the possibility of winning," said James Whelan, a research professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis. "There are social reasons to gamble, but in the end, the idea of doing something risky is getting rewarded by winning money,"

Ted Baugh, the vice president of Corporate Partnerships and Premium Hospitality for the Cleveland Guardians, said Major League Baseball is trying to help everyone associated with the sport navigate legal gambling, including players and fans alike.

"It is constant education," he said. "It is constant reminding that it is legal, but don't be stupid. It is more about what is good for the fan and what is legal."

As gambling expands, so does problem gambling

According to Ohio for Responsible Gambling, the Problem Gambling Helpline in Ohio received 10,637 calls in 2023 compared to 6,835 in 2022.

"Everybody with a gambling problem comes at it a little differently," Whelan said. "For many of these people, there are other things going on in their life that also feed into why they may become overly involved in gambling, even though gambling is harmful to them."

Whelan encourages gamblers to monitor themselves by asking, in part: "When am I in harm's way? When am I getting hurt by this, and I need to back off?"

Whelan said the majority of people who want to control their gambling can benefit from cognitive-behavioral intervention treatments. Cognitive-behavioral therapy aims to change a patient's behavior by changing how the patient thinks about the actions.

"Have a good time, enjoy yourself, set limits and stick with them," Whelan said.


This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


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Over 70 Michigan townships and counties are taking a stand in court, saying the state is overstepping its authority on renewable energy permits.

These municipalities have appealed to the state Court of Appeals on Michigan's new clean energy law. They argue it takes away local control over zoning and permits for renewable projects.

They say the authority goes to the Michigan Public Service Commission under the new law.

Attorney Michael Homier said the commission initially promised input from local communities, but changed the process through an order.

"My clients, you know, frankly find it insulting," said Homier. "This is about local control and the constant erosion of local control, when the state and some bureaucratic agency thinks they know better, and they don't."

The new law went into effect on November 29. A spokesperson for the MPSC said the agency will implement the legislation as the court reviews the case.

The municipalities claim the order from the MPSC also improperly redefines key terms, creates unlawful processes, and contradicts clear legislative intent - violating the Administrative Procedures Act.

Homier said this is a big issue.

"You can't just change those definitions because you want it some other way," said Homier. "That's not how it works. Only the legislature can amend it."

Michigan aims for 100% clean energy by 2040, with 2023 legislation requiring 80% from clean sources and 60% from renewables by 2035 - something Homier stressed that he's not against.

"Nobody wants to stop clean energy, at least I don't," said Homier. "None of my clients do. But, they do have a say in where it should be located and what adverse impacts might be caused by it."

Since filing the appeal on November 8, and an amended version on November 12 - adding more municipalities, Homier said about a dozen others have contacted him wanting to join the fight.





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A Wisconsin Circuit Court's ruling involving public sector bargaining rights has intensified the stakes for the state's Supreme Court election in 2025.

The judge ruled Act 10 is unconstitutional because it treats different groups of public employees unequally. The controversial 13-year-old law strictly limits public sector bargaining rights in Wisconsin.

Michael Childers is a professor of labor education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He said the law also took the state back more than fifty years, as Wisconsin was a pioneer in the fight for workers' legal rights.

"It was the first state in the nation that formerly allowed for public sector bargaining," said Childers, "and then became the first to basically greatly curtail bargaining rights for all but police and fire in the state."

Act 10 would be struck down pending a final decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which currently has a liberal majority.

The Republican-controlled legislature that appealed the recent decision is hoping to drag out the case, but the public workers who challenged the law hope the court rules before a new justice is seated next year.

Wisconsin's public sector laws of 1959 and 1962 are regarded as turning points in American politics and the legal rights of workers.

Childers said Wisconsin's union participation was always higher than the national average until the passage of Act 10 in 2011, which fundamentally changed the ability of public sector workers in Wisconsin to have influence over their workplace.

"They had rights similar to what most workers in the private sector in the United States enjoyed, which is the ability to bargain over hours, wages, and all other conditions of work," said Childers, "so this would be reinstated pending this decision."

Childers said Wisconsin experienced the largest decline of union membership in the U.S. over the past decade.

If Act 10 is struck down, it could open the door for a resurgence of union engagement across the state.





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The latest round of Workforce Ready Grants means $42 million is being divided among 62 projects aiming to foster Oregon's diverse workforce in the fields of health care, manufacturing and technology.

The grants are part of Future Ready Oregon, a $200 million initiative launched by the Oregon Legislature in 2022 to enhance workforce training. Funds can be used to address barriers to education and employment, support curriculum development and purchase equipment.

Jennifer Purcell, director of the program, said partnerships with employers, industry leaders and labor organizations are key to its success.

"It's relying on those partnerships, and the expertise and lived experience of those community-based organizations, that allows for this funding to be used to meet the needs of individuals in really responsive ways," Purcell explained.

Grantees for the latest round include Adelante Mujeres, Klamath Union High School, Project Youth and Eastern Oregon University.

Purcell pointed out grant money does not only fund training and education programs. It also helps people stay focused on school and work by helping them cover essential needs like child care, housing or transportation.

"In some parts of the state, that looks like providing bus passes," Purcell outlined. "We have an organization that even purchased refurbished bicycles."

Future Ready Oregon has focused the funding on 10 priority underserved populations, including veterans, people of color and rural communities. Purcell added the Afghan Support Network, for example, received a grant to prepare Afghan refugees to earn certifications so they can fill high-demand jobs in Oregon's tech sector.

"This training will also provide culturally responsive supports and career coaching, as well as vocational English classes," Purcell noted.

This was the third and final round of the Workforce Ready Grants. Purcell acknowledged Future Ready Oregon has learned a lot from the process that will help inform state funding strategies in the future.


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