Lawmakers in Ohio have introduced a bill proposing to legalize online casinos in the state. The bill aims to legalize online slots, interactive table games (including poker), parimutuel wagering, and iLottery games.
Sen. Nathan Manning introduced Senate Bill 197, and the legislation has already gained bipartisan support. Republican House Speaker Matt Huffman commented that the public has “sort of turned the corner” in relation to legalizing online gambling.
Democrat Nickie Antonio cited other states that have successfully legalized, stating, “Certainly, other states have shown us that when they take the dollars and they’re distributed to programs that are always underfunded, there’s a helping hand there.”
The bill would allow the state’s four brick-and-mortar casinos — Jack Cleveland, Hollywood Columbus, Hard Rock Cincinnati, and Hollywood Toledo — along with the seven licensed video lottery racinos, to pursue iGaming licenses for one platform.
Jack Entertainment, owners of Jack Cleveland, has previously opposed online casino expansion, arguing it could draw customers away from physical casinos, thereby hurting local economic activity.
Online casinos to generate high revenue
It is estimated that legalizing Ohio online casinos could generate revenue of over $1 billion per year. Last year, the land-based casinos and racinos generated $1.1 billion, and other states have seen similar numbers after going digital.
Pennsylvania legalized online casinos in 2019, and operators saw $1.5 billion in revenue last year. With a 54% tax rate on slots, and 36% rate on sports betting, the state collected approximately $2.66 billion in tax revenue and fees from gambling activities in 2024.
New Jersey online casinos generated over $2 billion last year, and given Ohio’s greater population, it could expect similar numbers. Ohio has around 2 million more residents than the Garden State.
The bill sets a license fee at $50 million plus an additional $5 million for renewal every 5 years. A tax rate of 36 to 40% would also bring in substantial revenue to the state coffers. Of the money collected, 99% will go to the Ohio General Fund, with the other 1% towards problem gambling support programs.
Curbing unregulated markets
With no legislation currently in place, residents use unregulated platforms in high numbers. Last year, it is estimated that sweepstakes casinos and other unlicensed operators generated $3.7 billion in revenue from Ohio users.
In states with legalized online casinos, users play less frequently at unregulated sites. In Michigan, licensed operators generated twice as much as unlicensed casinos, such as sweepstakes. Similarly, New Jersey and Pennsylvania also saw more revenue generated from legal casinos than those operating outside regulations.
At the moment, seven states in the US have licensed online casinos. If the proposed regulations are passed, Ohio will become the eighth next year. The bill will now go to the Senate Select Committee on Gaming for initial evaluation.
Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling. Adam focuses on emerging stories in the ever changing landscape of betting in the US. Read the latest on prediction markets, changing legislation, and sweepstakes.
