Ohio commission excludes bettor from state gambling market after threats

The Ohio Casino Control Commission voted on 21 October to place Blake Morgan, of Thornville, Ohio, on its Sports Gaming Involuntary Exclusion List, barring him from the state's legal gambling market. The commission acted after Morgan was accused of threatening Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider during a call to Major League Baseball. Morgan denies making the threats.

The call was made during Game 4 of the 2025 World Series, after Schneider decided to pitch to Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani despite having previously suggested he might intentionally walk him. According to regulatory testimony, Morgan initially acknowledged making the call and said he was angry about Schneider's comments, but insisted he had no intention of travelling to Toronto or Los Angeles to confront the manager.

Two days after the call, according to the account, Major League Baseball barred Morgan from its stadiums and events with no set end date. Morgan then revised his version of events, saying a visitor to his home had borrowed his phone. He asked Ohio regulators for a hearing, yet he did not show up in June. Whether prosecutors will bring criminal charges against him has not been established.

David Thomas, who heads security for Major League Baseball, testified before Ohio regulators that threats directed at players, coaches and their families have risen steeply since 2018, the year states started legalizing sports betting. That September, six major sports leagues asked gambling regulators to act more firmly against abusive bettors. Ohio led the way in 2023, becoming the first state to establish regulatory powers aimed specifically at bettors who make threats.