Ohio's iGaming bill progresses to Senate after House approval
House Bill 96, aimed at expanding gambling in Ohio, has recently been introduced in the Senate. The bill has already passed in the House and is now in the initial stages of Senate review.
was introduced by Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), who serves as chair of the House Finance Committee. His bill is intended to create a strong foundation for online poker and casino games in Ohio. The legislation attempts to legalise online casino-style games and poker, with regulation falling to state agencies. It is meant to increase revenue without raising taxes. Having already passed the House; the bill is now before the Ohio Senate.
Why Ohio’s latest move matters?
Ohio has long maintained strict control over gambling activities. On 14 May 2012, Horseshoe Casino, the state’s first full-service casino, welcomed its first guests in the historic former Higbee’s Building located in Tower City Center on Public Square. If House Bill 96 becomes law, Ohio will unlock a new revenue stream and give residents access to online entertainment that is already legal in other states.
Republicans have approved the proposal after making significant changes to Governor Mike DeWine’s initial budget. One of the major alterations included removing the provision that would have doubled the tax on sports gambling operators to fund sports facilities.
Currently, seven states in the US have fully or partially legalised online gaming. These states include New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Each of these states has implemented regulations to oversee online gaming activities, ensuring a safe and controlled environment for players.
Overview of the sports betting Landscape in Ohio
Ohio’s sports betting legalisation process was formalised through House Bill 29 (HB 29), which was signed into law on 22 December 2021. The bill authorised both retail and online sports betting in the state. The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) is responsible for regulating and overseeing sports betting activities in the state.
The betting tax was originally set at 10 percent, but lawmakers decided that generating additional state revenue was critical, and the tax rate rose to 20 percent in July 2023. Governor Mike DeWine’s most recent proposal was accepted, and the figure could hit 40 percent. Raising the tax rate to 40 percent would see Ohio implementing the second-highest betting tax rate in the US.
Although the governor’s latest proposal to increase the sports betting tax was abandoned, Ohio politicians continue to highlight the potential revenue from online casinos. Ohioans wager billions of dollars annually on legal online sportsbooks. In 2024 alone, these sportsbooks handled nearly $9 billion in bets, generating over $180 million in tax revenue for the state.
