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Kris Johnson is a Charlotte-based deputy editor. He joined CasinoBeats in July 2025 and oversees the daily news flow of editing and publishing. Kris also reports on all aspects of the gambling industry with a...
Read Full BioThe Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) has started an independent investigation into suspicious betting activity that led to the suspension of two Cleveland Guardians pitchers.
The OCCC said in a statement that it was notified on June 30 by a licensed Ohio sportsbook of suspicious wagering activity on the Guardians. Major League Baseball (MLB), which has been conducting its own investigation, also contacted the club shortly thereafter.
The OCCC statement reads in part: “The Commission is working closely with Major League Baseball’s highly skilled investigative team as contemplated by Ohio law. The Commission’s investigation is dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of sports wagering conducted in Ohio and we appreciate Major League Baseball’s efforts are directed at protecting the integrity of the game itself.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called for a ban on prop bets in the wake of MLB’s investigation.
OCCC Launched Similar Investigation Into Alabama Baseball
This isn’t the first time the OCCC has investigated suspicious wagering in baseball.
In 2023, red flags were raised after unusual betting patterns were discovered on an NCAA baseball game between Alabama and LSU. The top-seeded Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide, 8-6, after Alabama’s starting pitcher was scratched with back soreness shortly before the game started.
Regulators from three states — Ohio, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — were notified of suspicious bets by industry watchdog US Integrity. The OCCC was the first to suspend betting on Alabama games because of the unusual wagers, which were made at the Great American Ballpark’s BetMGM sportsbook in Cincinnati.
Alabama fired baseball coach Brad Bohannon, who the NCAA infractions committee later determined “violated wagering and ethical conduct rules” by providing inside information on the pitching change to professional gambler Bert Neff. Neff was later sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice.
Guardians Pitchers Remain on Suspension as MLB’s Probe Continues
A month after MLB notified the Guardians of irregular betting activity on pitches thrown by closer Luis Ortiz, fellow reliever Emmanuel Clase was also suspended and placed on non-disciplinary paid leave. Both players are sidelined until August 31. It remains unclear whether the investigations are related.
There is a common thread between the Alabama and Cleveland investigations, as IC360 (formerly US Integrity) initially reported the unusual betting activity on Ortiz. Here are the two pitches, which both missed the strike zone badly, that triggered the suspicious bets.
On July 3, MLB placed Ortiz on paid leave and later extended his suspension to the end of August. He’s on track to effectively miss two months of the season and perhaps more, depending on the investigation’s findings. Both Ortiz and Clase would face lifetime bans if found guilty of gambling on games.
For its part, the OCCC’s investigation is also ongoing, and it will not comment further until it is concluded.
