CLEVELAND — After decades of pushback from lawmakers in Columbus on gambling, the people of Ohio voted in 2009 to change the state constitution, clearing the way for four casinos to be built in Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo and Cincinnati. A selling point of what was then known as Issue 3 was the tax revenue it would generate for communities across the state, with 90% of those funds going to the state’s 88 counties, school districts and the casinos’ host cities.

The state of Ohio was pretty much left out of the mix, something newly elected Governor John Kasich tried to fix in 2011 when he got into a fight with the casinos over new taxes and fees. It was a battle that at one point brought construction of the Cleveland casino inside the Higbee Building to a halt.

In June of that year, a deal was reached that cleared the way for the project to move forward, the state to get an additional $110 million over ten years and for the Ohio Lottery to oversee slots-only racinos that would be opened in the state’s seven racetracks.

That would be the extent of gambling expansion for the better part of a decade until the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for legalized sports betting, which Ohio went online with in January of 2023. Online being the operative word because it marked the state’s foray into mobile gambling, sports betting on your phone. Something lawmakers in Columbus now argue is the perfect lead-in to i-Gaming.

“We already have table games, we already have slots, and we already have online gambling. House Bill 298 would simply blend the two and allow virtual slot machines and virtual table games alongside online sports betting,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Asheville).

House Bill 298 is one of two bills the legislature is considering that would clear the way for you to play casino games, slots, roulette, and poker on your phone and, in the process, cut the state in on the tax revenue.

“If we’re looking at our neighboring states of Michigan and Pennsylvania, I think we’re looking anywhere from $300 million to a billion a year,” said State Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), the sponsor of Senate Bill 197.

But there are areas of concern that go along with that, addiction being a major one, fueled by the easy access anytime on your phone. Manning tells News 5 that it is a concern they are addressing by setting weekly wager limits of $500 and a weekly time limit for someone to gamble online at 5 hours. He argues there’s already an estimated $600 million to $2 billion worth of illegal online gambling happening in the state.

“Problem gambling already exists, and we can properly address it through legalizing it and putting in some guardrails on,” Manning said.

A stance Mark Stewart of the National Association Against iGaming takes issue with.

“I would ask, would you do the same with fentanyl? It’s happening illegally anyway; should we just tax it, legalize it and put boundaries on it? No,” said Stewart.

The NAAiG is a group that lists Cleveland’s JACK Entertainment among its members, which is opposed to legalized online gambling, which the group argues will kill business at the state’s casinos and racinos that employ thousands.

“The state’s incentivizing people to just sit on their couches, get on their phones, which are already addictive and play casino games instead of going to the casino, where they support jobs, they support restaurants, they support entertainment venues,” Stewart said.

Both bills limit licenses to those casino and racino owners already operating in Ohio, with the House bill adding a restriction on promotions to help those brick-and-mortar facilities.

“Unlike sports betting, which allowed out of state companies to offer a significant cash promotions on their apps, internet gambling apps under this bill would only be permitted to offer promotions that can be redeemed at existing brick and mortar sites across Ohio such as free bets in person, meals, hotels and other perks at those facilities,” said Rep. Brian Stewart.

“I think you’re going to see the vast majority of existing casino and racino operators are going to be in support of internet gambling and the expansion that we’re talking about,” he said.

Mark Stewart doesn’t see it that way. In addition to his role with NAAiG, he’s an executive vice president with the Cordish Companies, which operates several casinos, including two in Pennsylvania, the Live Casinos in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. They also hold an online gambling license in Pennsylvania.

“Pennsylvania passed iGaming before we had our licenses, and we opposed iGaming there. To protect our investment, we got a license, and the comparison is dramatic,” he said. “To build two casinos, we employ over 3,000 people, and we invested a billion dollars in Pennsylvania. We’re supporting literally thousands of small businesses every day. On the iGaming side, we needed to hire one person, and we invested $500,000. It’s radically different. The benefits for the state are in in-person gaming.”

As the two bills progress through the House and Senate, there is the underlying question over whether the legislature can expand casino gambling online since it wasn’t part of the 2009 amendment clearing the way for it in those four locations.

“That’s a great question,” said Manning, “and the courts are a little bit limited in how they’ve ruled on this, but of the opinions that’ve been ruled on, they basically said that the legislature can expand gambling and we’ve done that in a number of different areas.”

“We’ll see if there’s a challenge. If there is, you know I think that there’s some good case law and arguments to be made that this is perfectly constitutional, but at the end of the day, the courts will make that decision,” he said.

Manning also said he’s talked to Rep. Brian Stewart about his bill. “I think we’re on the same page with a lot of different issues and then maybe a little different on a few others, but I look forward to working with them hand in hand, and hopefully we can come up with a good joint bill here.”

Watching it all is Governor Mike DeWine, who has taken a wait-and-see approach.

“Always a use for the extra revenue, but I think we have to weigh what the consequences of expanding gambling are,” DeWine said.

Ohio State returns four All-Americans and 13 national qualifiers to a team that finished fifth at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Head coach Tom Ryan hit the portal in the off-season, securing Ethan Stiles (Oregon State), Cody Chittum (Iowa State), and Dylan Fishback (NC State) to a seasoned squad.

“This is the first time we’ve done this, going to the portal,” Ryan said. “We picked up three guys in the portal. It’s not something we’ve done in the past because we haven’t needed to. In order to field a team that has a shot at winning it, we had no option with this team and the holes we had. We had to fix them fast, and that’s how you fix them fast.”

Ryan has plenty of options, with roster battles at 125, 133, 157, 165, and 197. Some of the team’s best wrestlers may move weights depending on wrestle-off results. The competition is especially fierce at 133, where two-time NCAA qualifier Nic Bouzakis battles Ben Davino for the spot. 

“It’s a good line-up,” Ryan said. “We feel everyone can get on the podium and fight for a championship so it’s up to us to get them believing and have a great performance in Cleveland. 

“We’re in a really good spot. We have really good depth. There’s no longer a cap on 9.9 so Ohio State gave us a few more scholarships so we have more money to recruit with. It gives us a chance for some more depth. We feel like every weight class has someone who can step in and do the job for us, either the starter or the backup. I’m excited about the season.”

Watch highlights from Mendez’s 12-9 win in the 2025 NCAA Championship finals

2025-26 Ohio State Overview

Head coach: Tom Ryan (20th season)

Assistants: J Jaggers, Bo Jordan, Logan Stieber

2025 NCAA tournament finish: T-5th

2025 NCAA tournament record: 20-18

2025 NCAA tournament points: 51.5

2025 Big Ten tournament finish: 6th

2025 dual record: 13-3 (5-3 conference)

Returning national qualifiers: 13 (Brendan McCrone, Nic Bouzakis, Jesse Mendez, Ethan Stiles, Brandon Cannon, Cody Chittum, Paddy Gallagher, Carson Kharchla, Dylan Fishback, Ryder Rogotzke, Seth Shumate, Luke Geog, Nick Feldman)

Returning All-Americans: 4 (Jesse Mendez, Ethan Stiles, Carson Kharchla, Nick Feldman)

Returning NCAA champion: 1 (Jesse Mendez)

Last NCAA champion: Jesse Mendez (2025)

Highest NCAA team finish: 1st (2015)

Highest NCAA team finish under Ryan: 1st (2015)

Most national placers in a season under Ryan: 8 (2018)

Probable Ohio State Line-up

125: Brendan McCrone, JR, 23-11 or Vinny Kilkeary, SO, 5-1 
McCrone is a two-time NCAA qualifier who is 2-4 at nationals. He battles Kilkeary, who is 1-2 in varsity duals over the past two seasons. 

Ryan on 125: “They’re drastically different wrestlers. One is great in one position — the top position — and has had a lot of success there. The other is stingier on his feet and not as dominant in one position, but he’s steady. It’s a clash of styles.”

133: Ben Davino, FR, 19-1 or Nic Bouzakis, JR, 24-9
Davino is the favorite after a solid true freshman campaign. He went 4-0 in varsity duals and notched a 5-3 win over Bouzakis at the Clarion Open. Bouzakis is a two-time national qualifier who reached the Round of 12 at the 2025 NCAA Championships. 

Ryan on 133: “You have a unique situation, particularly in this era, where you have two people willing to stay and could leave easily and get a lot more NIL money. With Jesse (Mendez) graduating (next season), Nic could always go up next year and have one year left. 

“This is a very noble decision by a student-athlete. I think it brings you back to the Jessie Whitmer days, where people stuck it out for four or five years. There’s something to be said for that. They both love it here. They both do well in school, so there’s more to consider than just wrestling. They’re happy. 

“Whoever loses the wrestle-off will be the back-up at 133 and 141 for the year and will move up to 141 next year.”

141: Jesse Mendez, SR, 30-3
Mendez won his second NCAA title after finishing sixth as a freshman. He could finish his college career as the third three-time NCAA champion in program history (Logan Steiber, 4, and Kyle Snyder, 3). 

149: Ethan Stiles, SO, 19-8
This is Stiles’s third program in three seasons after stints at Nebraska and Oregon State. The Chicago, Illinois, native finished sixth at the 2025 NCAA Championships for the Beavers during his redshirt freshman season. 

Ryan on 149: “Ethan is a gamer. When you place at the nationals as a freshman, that shows a great deal of maturity and mental strength to have success at a younger age, particularly as competitive as this sport is right now. He has a nice little shot and he’s tough on top. He’s a hard guy to wrestle. We’re excited about him.

“We like that we have him for three more years. He’s not a one-and-done. He has a chance to really grow with us and be a part of the program.”

157: Brandon Cannon, SO, 24-5 or Cody Chittum, JR, 20-8
This weight has question marks. Cannon qualified for the 2025 NCAA Championships but may have outgrown the weight. Chittum is a two-time national qualifier who might redshirt. 

Ryan on 157: “Cannon is growing, so we have lots of issues there. Paddy (Gallagher) is big and strong and likes 165. e’Than Birden is at 165 and Cannon may be growing into 165. Chittum has a redshirt and two years left, so we’ll watch Chittum closely. We might put him in if he’s wrestling well and feels like he can win it at 157 this year. It depends on size and how big some of these guys get, and if they can make 157. We’re not sure if Cannon can maintain the weight anymore. He’s growing like a weed.”

165: Paddy Gallagher, SR, 17-10 or e’Then Birden, FR, 9-6 or Brandon Cannon
Gallagher is the front-runner after two appearances at the NCAA Championships. Much depends on Cannon’s weight and his decision to change classes.

Ryan on 165: “One will likely drop to 157 if we feel like the best thing is for Chittum to redshirt.”

174: Carson Kharchla, SR, 14-5
Kharchla finished seventh at the 2022 NCAA Championships and is a three-time national qualifier. 

Ryan on 174: “Kharchla might get challenged by a guy who doesn’t win the wrestle-off at 165.”

184: Dylan Fishback, JR, 16-8
Ohio State thought they had returning national finalist Rocco Welsh, but he transferred to Penn State in the off-season. Ryan picked up Fishback from the portal, a two-time Round of 12 finisher for NC State. 

Ryan on 184: “This was a tough situation for us. Rocco committed to a multi-year NIL deal. I’m not sure what happened there, but we’re super excited about Fishback and bringing him back home to Ohio. 

“I would be lying if I didn’t say that Rocco leaving isn’t painful. We had a relationship with him. He was here for two years and we did everything right by him. At the same time, he has to go with what he feels is best for him in his life. I wish it went differently but freedom is important. Good luck to him, but we love who we have. 

“Fishback is really athletic, he’s versatile, he loves the sport, and he’s from Ohio. We’re excited about bringing him home. He’s a great guy. He’s reported here and he’s a good person to be around.”

197: Seth Shumate, JR, 20-17 or Luke Geog, JR, 8-2 or Ryder Rogotzke, JR, 10-11
This fierce three-way battle should keep everyone guessing. All three are NCAA qualifiers, with Shumate qualifying at 197 in 2025 and Geog in 2024. Rogotzke is a two-time 184-pound qualifier who is likely moving up. He also has a redshirt season to use. 

Ryan on 197: “Shumate could make 184, but he feels much better at 197, and Rogotzke has outgrown 184. We have three guys battling it out at 197. I could maybe see Shumate coming down if he loses (the wrestle-off), but I think the other two can’t make it. Ryder is way too big. He struggled this past year at 184. His first year, he was good, but became an issue for him last season.”

285: Nick Feldman, JR, 20-8
Feldman finished fifth at the 2024 NCAA Championships as a redshirt freshman and reached the Round of 12 in 2025. 

A 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela was arrested in Perrysburg, Ohio, after he allegedly enrolled in a public high school using fraudulent documents.

Court records show that 24-year-old Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra has been charged with forgery, and he is being held on $50,000 bond. The Perrysburg Police Department said it was contacted by the Perrysburg Local Schools on Monday about possible fraudulent activity involving one of its students.

After a preliminary investigation, a fraud case was established and handed over to the department’s detectives for further investigation.

LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO SMUGGLE DRUGGED CHILD ACROSS SOUTHERN BORDER

Detectives worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and it was discovered that Labrador was a 24-year-old from Venezuela.

Investigators also learned Labrador Sierra used fraudulent documents to enroll in Perrysburg Schools and was posing as a 16-year-old student.

Perrysburg School officials said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital that Labrador Sierra had been enrolled at Perrysburg High School under the name and age of a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor on Jan. 11, 2024, in accordance with federal and state requirements for enrolling students experiencing homelessness or without a legal guardian.

GUATEMALAN NATIONAL INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY SMUGGLING TEEN GIRL INTO THE US

Perrysburg police arrested 24-year-old Anthony Labrador Sierra for allegedly forging documents to attend high school in Ohio. (iStock)

Between Jan. 11, 2024 and May 14, 2025, the school said Labrador Sierra obtained documentation and support, further complicating the situation. For instance, he obtained a state-issued driver’s license, social security number and Temporary Protective Status (TPS) from U.S. Immigrations.

The school also said Labrador completed an application for a visa with help from Advocating Opportunities, which provides free legal assistance.

The Wood County Juvenile Court granted guardianship of Labrador Sierra to a Perrysburg family.

2 AMERICAN WOMEN ARRESTED AT BORDER FOR SMUGGLING UNACCOMPANIED MINORS: CBP

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detain an immigrant. (Getty Images)

School officials said the guardians contacted the school on May 14 to report they had received information indicating Labrador Sierra was not a minor, but instead a 24-year-old man.

Labrador Sierra reportedly denied the allegation when district administrators met with him on May 15.

“Given the seriousness of the claim, Perrysburg Schools immediately directed the guardians to keep Labrador off school property while the matter was investigated further,” the school said. “This case involves highly unusual and deceptive circumstances that impacted many local, state and federal agencies.”

TRANS MIGRANT FINDING SANCTUARY IN NYC ACCUSED OF RAPING 14-YEAR-OLD

“The school district has reviewed its actions regarding enrollment and is confident proper legal channels were followed to provide support for an individual presenting themselves as an unaccompanied minor as spelled out in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act,” the district added. “We appreciate our close partnership with the Perrysburg Police Division and the swift action taken.”

The school also updated the statement, saying Labrador Sierra had been a member of the junior varsity soccer and swim teams, adding the situation has been reported to the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

Labrador Sierra was ultimately taken into custody during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 on Tuesday afternoon.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News they have located Labrador Sierra’s information under a different spelling of his name. They added that Labrador Sierra is a visa overstay who first came to the U.S. in 2019. DHS also confirmed Labrador has received TPS.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Labrador is being held in the Wood County Jail on $50,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 29.