CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A few weeks after Emmanuel Clase became the second Guardians pitcher to be put on leave for a gambling investigation, the Ohio Casino Control Commission (the Commission) has commented on the investigation.
According the Commission, they became aware of suspicious wagering activity related to the Cleveland Guardians on June 30. The Commission says they were notified by an Ohio licensed sportsbook about the suspicious activity, but would not specify which.
Around the same time the sportsbook notified the Commission, Major League Baseball contacted them about the alert. Following the alert, an independent investigation began, ultimately leading to two Guardians pitchers being placed on leave weeks apart.
This is not the first time an alert of suspicious sports gambling has led to an investigation. In 2023 suspicious wagering on University of Alabama baseball games led to an investigation and a pause in gambling on the team’s games.
The Commission went on to say that they are “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”.
This statement comes two weeks after Governor Mike DeWine called for the Commission to ban prop bets in Ohio in reaction to the investigation.
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