Ohio Online Casino Bill Introduced, Brick-and-Mortar Resistance Remains
Posted on: May 15, 2025, 12:02h.
Last updated on: May 15, 2025, 09:50h.
- Another iGaming bill has been filed in Ohio
- Each online casino license would cost $50 million
- Some Ohio casinos oppose online gambling
For yet another legislative session in the Ohio General Assembly, legislation to expand legal casino gambling to the internet has been filed.
This week, state Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) introduced Senate Bill 197 to legalize and tax internet gambling. If the bill becomes law, online casinos with slots and interactive table games, including poker, plus online parimutuel wagering and iLottery, would become permissible forms of internet betting.
SB197 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.
Each license would cost a staggering $50 million, with renewals every five years for an additional $5 million. Along with the exorbitant entry rate, licensed iGaming platforms would need to share between 36% to 40% of their gross online casino revenue with the state.
SB197 would direct 99% of the iGaming tax money to the Ohio General Fund and the remaining 1% to the state’s Problem Gambling Fund.
Bipartisan Support
Only seven states have legal iGaming. For several legislative sessions, Ohio lawmakers have sought to join Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia in allowing adults to gamble from their computers and mobile devices.
Manning’s bill has the support of Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) and House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima). Both say expanding casino gambling to the internet could provide significant new revenue for the state.
Democrats have also expressed a willingness to mull new forms of online gambling to complement internet sports wagering.
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. I think it’s important for us to look at,” Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) told the Statehouse News Bureau.
Republican leaders, whose party has a supermajority in the Senate and a 65-34 stronghold on the House, say public opinions regarding online gambling have changed.
There’s a different tone and tenor about some of these things than maybe there was 10 years ago. I think a lot of times Ohioans want to have a little bit more choice as to how they spend their money and spend their recreational time,” said McColley.
Huffman added that the public has “sort of turned the corner” after realizing that iGaming can help avoid tax increases.
Casino Opinions
Land-based casino operators have differing opinions about whether iGaming helps or hurts in-person business. Some gaming firms, including MGM Resorts, Boyd Gaming, and Penn Entertainment, which run six of the 11 casinos and racinos in Ohio, are rather supportive of online gambling opportunities.
But Ohio-based Jack Entertainment, the oldest gaming operator in the Buckeye State, has regularly testified in opposition to iGaming. Jack runs Jack Cleveland and Jack Thistledown.
Churchill Downs has also spoken against online casinos. The Kentucky-based gaming and racing giant owns a 50% stake in Miami Valley Gaming, a harness race track and racino in Turtlecreek.
SB197 has been directed to the Senate Select Committee on Gaming for initial evaluation.
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