Ohio’s First Online Casino Bill Faces Uncertain Future

Ohio took its first steps toward legalizing online casinos this week, as State Senator Niraj Antani filed a bill to permit internet casino gaming. Despite this milestone, the legislation is unlikely to see significant movement in 2024, with lawmakers facing time constraints and a packed legislative agenda. Sen. Antani, who is nearing the end of his term due to term limits, introduced the bill on Wednesday, aiming to begin discussions on legalizing online casinos in the state. His proposal, SB312, would allow Ohio's 11 existing casinos and racinos to each offer a single online casino app. The Ohio Casino Control Commission would serve as the regulator, overseeing the new internet gaming permits.

 

The legislation includes provisions such as:

• Initial licensing fees of at least $300,000 for casino operators, with an annual renewal fee of $250,000.
• A 15% tax rate on online slots and table games.
• A required annual payment of $250,000 from each licensee to Ohio’s problem gambling and addictions fund.
• Limits on marketing affiliate licenses, capped at five, with a $25,000 fee for a three-year license.

Antani acknowledges that passing the bill in the current legislative cycle is unlikely, but he hopes to start a dialogue on the topic among lawmakers. “I really do think this is a long way off from truly getting legalized in Ohio, but I think it’s time we start the process,” Antani told PlayUSA. “We’ve been talking about starting the process for over a year now. Someone has to kickstart it and I think it’s time to go.”

 

Movement Unlikely Before End of Term

The Ohio legislature will reconvene briefly for a lame-duck session after the November elections. However, lawmakers, including Sen. Nathan Manning, co-chair of the Ohio Sports Gaming Study Committee, doubt the bill will progress this year. Manning told PlayUSA that it’s unlikely an online casino proposal would even receive a hearing in the limited time available. “It’s a little late in this General Assembly. Certainly, I’m interested to take a look at the language. But I can’t imagine it would move this late in the session. We’ll see what happens next term,” Manning said.

Antani agreed that the timing is challenging but stressed that his goal is to increase awareness of online gaming among fellow legislators. “This is about what I call socializing the concept,” he explained. “Some legislators have never thought about iGaming before. They haven’t necessarily had a reason to think about it. So this will hopefully spark some thoughtful consideration.” Antani’s legislation is designed to build on Ohio’s recent experience with regulated gambling. The state legalized sports betting in 2021 after a multi-year legislative process, a path Antani expects online casinos might follow. He kept the proposal simple, knowing that adjustments and refinements will be made as discussions progress.

“We know from other states and from our sports betting experience that this can be done in the sunshine in a regulated way, and it can provide another entertainment option for Ohioans,” Antani said. “You shouldn’t have to go to a big city to play casino games if you’re in rural or even suburban Ohio.”

Antani played a key role in the passage of the Ohio sports betting bill and sees his introduction of SB312 as a similar first step. He cited former Ohio Rep. Dave Greenspan and Sen. John Eklund, who introduced the first sports betting bills without seeing them become law during their terms. “They didn’t have their names on the final bill, but I think they deserve significant credit for moving the ball down the field. They got the ball down into the red zone, and it wouldn’t have gotten there without them. That’s how I think it will work for this.”

 

“I really do think this is a long way off from truly getting legalized in Ohio, but I think it’s time we start the process.”

 

Next Steps for Ohio’s Online Casino Debate

The future of online casinos in Ohio remains uncertain, but Antani’s bill sets the stage for further discussions in the next legislative session. With term limits affecting key proponents of the proposal, including Antani and Rep. Jay Edwards, the issue will need new champions in the General Assembly. Antani’s introduction of the bill, however, ensures that online casinos will be part of Ohio’s broader conversation on gaming regulation moving forward.

As Antani steps down from his role, the progress of SB312 may be slow, but the conversation it starts could pave the way for future efforts to bring online casino gaming to Ohio.