Guardians pitchers' Luis Ortiz, Emmanuel Clase betting probe leads to proposed ban on microbets in Ohio

Some sweeping regulations are expected to come in that could alter the micro-betting scenario in Ohio. The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) could ban certain player prop bets, as there has been growing concern over their vulnerability.

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase continue to be on paid leave due to the joint investigation process by the MLB and OCCC. Initially, IC360, a sports betting monitoring firm, saw a steep rise in the number of bets placed on two of Ortiz's first pitches in the innings.

This included games against the Seattle Mariners on June 15 and the St. Louis Cardinals on June 27. Ortiz was put on administrative leave on July 3, having a 4-9, 4.36 record at the time.

The firm concluded that the micro-bets placed on the two pitches indicated them to be either a ball or a hit-batsman. Both pitches Ortiz threw ended up being balls. The resultant investigation led to Ortiz's leave being extended until August 31, while Clase remained the only other personnel affected by the investigation.

With the investigation ongoing, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine instructed the OCCC to change the microbets. Not only does this risk more people from making numerous bets, but smaller bets like these can attract betting syndicates that disbalance the odds before making a large bet to win most of the cash.

DeWine is also expected to request unions of all major North American sports leagues to address the issue of microbets, with the MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred already taking necessary steps, as he indicated during the All-Star break in Atlanta last month.

"There are certain types of bets that strike me as unnecessary and particularly vulnerable," Manfred had said.

"...I firmly believe that the transparency and monitoring that we have in place now, as a result of the legalization and the partnerships that we've made, puts us in a better position to protect baseball than we were in before," he added.

Casino industry hits back after OCCC investigation

The American Gaming Association (AGA), which is the primary oversight of the casino industry, made its feelings about the issue known. Per their statement, they feel unnecessary oversight will not solve any problems.

"Prohibition doesn't stop betting-it stops oversight. Illegal operators won't honor bans, won't partner with leagues, and won't protect players or fans. The most effective path forward is education and deterrence," their statement read.

While the AGA has its own stance, sportsbooks across the country want to accept any regulations proposed by the authorities to protect their spaces.