Sports-related bills sponsored by area lawmaker passed by Ohio Senate

Senator Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) and Ohio State football coach Ryan Day (right). Day testified Tuesday in support of the name, image and likeness bill introduced by Antani. That bill was passed by the Senate on Wednesday. CONTRIBUTED

Senator Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) and Ohio State football coach Ryan Day (right). Day testified Tuesday in support of the name, image and likeness bill introduced by Antani. That bill was passed by the Senate on Wednesday. CONTRIBUTED

The Ohio Senate passed a pair of sports-related bills with potentially far-reaching consequences Wednesday.

Senate Bill 176 legalizes sports betting and E-bingo (for charitable organizations) while SB 187 allows college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.

State Sen. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) sponsored both bills and told the Dayton Daily News competition with other states is a factor in both.

“On sports betting, every other border state except for Kentucky does it,” Antani said. “On name image or likeness, 16 other states are, including five of which are going into effect on July 1. So, yeah, certainly we have a duty in Ohio to lead, and I think we need to lead on on sports betting in on name image or likeness.”

Both bills next go to the state house of representatives for consideration.

Antani said feedback from the NIL bill has been “tremendous.”

“I think that people understand why we need to do this for student-athletes,” he said. “The student-athletes have an inherent right that they should have the ability to benefit and earn compensation off of their name image or likeness, and now is the time to do this.”

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