Cleveland -- One small step for Ohio sports gambling.

Call it one small sentence.

Today, two Ohio State Senators drafted a bill that with one sentence begins what is likely to be a high stakes, high volume debate.

"It is the intent of the General Assembly to develop and enact legislation legalizing sports wagering," the bill reads.

With that, Senator John Eklund, who represents part of Geauga County dipped Ohio's toe in the water of a sports wagering.

"My sense right now is, yeah there is very likely an appetite for this in the Buckeye State," Eklund told Channel 3 News.

For it to get green-lit, the Ohio House and Senate would need to approve it -- and Ohio voters would need to vote to change the state Constitution.

Eklund suggests that the earliest this mean active sports gambling would be early to mid next year.

In the first month of sports wagering, the state of New Jersey generated over $10 million in wagering.

In Ohio -- this timeline means very little chance of betting on the Browns or Buckeyes. But putting money on the Indians home opener next year? That's a much safer bet.

This article is a reprint from WKYC.com.  To view the original story and comment, click here.