Ohio could be one step closer to legal online casino gaming. Representative Brian Stewart, who leads the House Finance Committee, is preparing a bill that would allow Ohioans to access casino games on their phones and computers. His plan focuses on generating new state revenue without raising taxes.
Good to know
- A prior commission found online gambling expands the gaming market without hurting land-based venues.
- Stewart’s proposal could direct tax money from iGaming toward public education.
- House Republicans already removed several tax hikes from the budget, including on sports betting.
The new bill fits into a broader effort to revise Ohio’s budget without introducing unpopular tax increases. Instead, legalizing iGaming is being pitched as a solution to bring in more funding in a way that fits current consumer behavior.
Stewart’s approach follows a two-year study on iGaming and iLottery, launched through a past budget clause. That commission wrapped up last July and concluded that legal online gambling in other states increased tax revenue due to strong public demand. Legislators like Jeff LaRe, Cindy Abrams, and former Rep. Jay Edwards supported the findings.
Their report pointed out that online gambling does not steal business from existing casinos. Rather, it often attracts a new group of players who rarely or never visit physical gambling sites. Stewart’s bill builds on those insights, aiming to expand the industry while protecting land-based venues.
Even so, casino and racino owners in Ohio have expressed concern. They worry online casinos could cut into their visitor numbers. Lawmakers have said they want to avoid policies that would hurt established gaming businesses and plan to work with stakeholders to find balanced solutions.
There is also growing support for the idea that iGaming revenue could go beyond just patching the budget. The commission noted that tax funds from online casinos could help fund public education, especially K–12 schools.
Stewart’s timing is strategic. The Ohio Senate is reviewing a revised House budget that already dropped proposed tax hikes on sports betting, marijuana, and cigarettes. However, the new version also leaves out an income tax cut, ending a streak of seven straight years of reductions. His bill may offer a politically safer way to fill revenue gaps while avoiding further tax increases or cuts to services.
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