VOICES: Young Ohioans shouldn’t foot the bill for billionaires’ stadiums

As a proud University of Dayton student and president of the UD College Republicans, I believe in fairness, opportunity, and personal responsibility. That’s why I’m deeply concerned about Governor Mike DeWine’s proposed tax hike on sports gaming — a plan that feels like a targeted attack on young people, particularly those of us working hard to build our futures.

Let’s be clear: sports gaming has become a popular and legitimate form of entertainment, especially among young men. It’s a pastime that combines competition, camaraderie, and personal choice. Yet now, under the governor’s plan, the tax on sports betting would double, from an already steep 20% to a crushing 40%. This isn’t just a number buried in a budget; it’s a direct hit to the wallets of young men across Ohio who are simply trying to enjoy a bit of well-earned recreation.

At a time when my peers are facing unprecedented financial challenges — rising tuition costs, inflation, and an uncertain job market — it’s incredibly disheartening to see our state government target something as harmless as relaxed sports betting for an aggressive tax hike. Young college-aged Ohioans are working internships, pulling all-nighters, and taking on record levels of student debt. Our state’s future success is downstream of their success. Now, they’re being told they also have to pay double for the small joys they afford themselves. It’s tone-deaf and unfair.

Worse yet, where is this new money going? DeWine’s plan would use the extra revenue to fund new sports stadiums for billionaire team owners who already sit atop enormous fortunes. Essentially, the governor wants to reach into the pockets of young men placing $5 bets on a Sunday Bengals game to build lavish arenas for the ultra-wealthy. It’s Robin Hood in reverse.

Ohioans didn’t support sports betting to bankroll luxury projects for billionaires. We embraced it as a reasonable step forward, acknowledging personal freedom and bringing a thriving, responsible industry into the light. Now, just as sports gaming begins to find its footing, the governor wants to double the burden and stick young people with the bill.

Thankfully, the Ohio House had the good sense to reject this unfair tax hike. Their refusal to rubber-stamp a punitive policy aimed at hardworking young Ohioans shows leadership and respect for the principles of economic freedom. The House stood up for students, workers, and young sports fans alike, and I applaud them for it.

Now it’s up to the Ohio Senate to do the same. I urge our senators to reject this misguided tax plan and stand with the next generation of Ohioans, not with billionaire sports team owners. It’s time to send a clear message: young sports fans are not an ATM to fund vanity projects. We are the future of this state, and we deserve policies that invest in us, not ones that penalize those of us enjoying a legal pastime.

Gabe Guidarini is the president of the University of Dayton College Republicans.

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About the Author

Gabe Guidarini