Ohio iGaming Bill Likely on its Way

• An Ohio lawmaker announces work on an iGaming bill
• Likely the second introduced Ohio iGaming bill in the last year
• No details yet on bill framework

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An Ohio lawmaker has announced he is working to introduce a bill to legalize iGaming in the Buckeye State.

WOSU reported Rep. Brian Stewart (R-12) is working on a bill to legalize Ohio iGaming, which will allow residents to play online casino games from their phone and computers.

Details on the legislation have yet to be revealed.

New Potential Gaming Revenues

Stewart, chair of the House Finance Committee, is the main sponsor of the House’s version of the two-year state budget. The budget stripped out a plan from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) to double the state’s sports betting tax rate from 20% to 40%.

His new iGaming bill will be a untapped avenue to increase Ohio gaming revenues after the budgetary sports betting tax increase was not approved.

DeWine’s tax rate increase was stripped from the proposed fiscal year budget and likely will not be re-inserted. It would have been the second tax rate since Ohio launched sports betting in 2023.

DeWine presented plans for the state’s 2026/2027 $218 billion budget in early February. His proposal also created a new fund to help pay for professional sports facilities and youth sports education. The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns have both expressed interest in either refurbishing their current stadiums or potentially building new facilities.

It’s unknown if Stewart’s bill will include a similar plan for state sports facilities and youth sports education. If indeed introduced, it will be the second iGaming bill proposed by a state legislator in the last year.

Another Crack at iGaming

Former Ohio Sen. Niraj Antani (R-6) introduced a separate iGaming bill this past September. Antani introduced SB 312, a bill to legalize iGaming in the Buckeye State. Under his legislation, each of the state’s casinos or racinos will be eligible to apply for a license to offer the new form of online casino gaming.

He introduced the bill during the state’s “lame duck” session, which is the period of approximately six weeks after election day and prior to the start of the state’s new legislative session.

Antani’s bill would have allowed each licensed state casino or racing to apply for an iGaming license and partner with up to one licensed iGaming operator. Online slots and table games would have been taxed at a rate of 15%. His legislation established the Ohio Casino Control Commission as the regulator for the best online casinos.

The bill never received a committee vote.

Ohio iGaming Study Looms Large

The Buckeye State commissioned a study last year on the legalization of iGaming and iLottery and its potential effect on Ohio’s gaming market.

The Study Commission on the Future of Gaming in Ohio was commissioned during the state’s 134th General Assembly and published the report following several months of public meetings. It consisted of three members of the House of Representatives, three from the Senate, the Chairperson of the State Lottery Commission, the Chairperson of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and the chairperson of the State Racing Commissions.

While the report did share concerns on the potential for increases to problem gaming and cannibalization for Ohio brick-and-mortar casinos, it also found the impact on revenue generation would be a boon.

In a joint letter, Republican House Representatives Jay Edwards (R-94), Jeff LaRe (R-73), and Cindy Abrams (R-29) urged expansion of gaming through iGaming and iLottery legislation in the 2025 session.

The representatives reported that the implementation of iLottery, iGaming, or both could see a “significant increase to tax revenues” and be an overall net benefit for Ohio and its gaming industry.