Ohio Senator Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) filed legislation this week in the Columbus capital seeking to legalize online casinos with interactive slot machines and table games.
However, Antani’s Senate Bill 312 hasn’t yet been assigned to a committee for initial review. The Buckeye State currently offers brick-and-mortar casinos and video lottery racinos, in addition to retail and online sports betting.
Antani argues that the legalization of online sports betting has demonstrated the state’s ability to effectively regulate and protect consumers in accordance with responsible gambling initiatives.
“As gaming has evolved in our state and we’ve seen massive success with sports betting, it’s now time to legalize iGaming in Ohio,” said the state lawmaker. “Many Ohioans don’t have close access to a casino or racino but should be able to participate in this entertainment option.”
Ohio Sen. Niraji Antani says legalized iGaming would help boost tax revenue, crack down on illegal offshore market
More importantly, Antani said along with generating new tax revenue, legalized iGaming would help eliminate illegal offshore sites. This issue has become especially problematic for online casino players in states where such gambling isn’t regulated.
Bovada, an offshore online sportsbook and casino website, continues to run unregulated iGaming in multiple U.S. jurisdictions. The unlicensed operator recently withdrew its platform from Ohio after Matt Schuler, the executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the company.
Additionally, the Study Commission on the Future of Gaming in Ohio documented in its July 2024 report that online casinos could provide $500 million to $650 million in new annual tax revenue for the state.
As of September 2024, only seven states offer legalized iGaming: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Buckeye State could become the eighth U.S. jurisdiction to legalize iGaming
Furthermore, Antani believes Ohio will become the eighth state in the future. The Study Commission used similar iGaming tax rates as Michigan and Pennsylvania, two populated states that allow internet casino gambling.
Pennsylvania online casinos operate under a 54% tax on online slots and 16% on online table revenue. Michigan levies an iGaming tax based on total revenue that ranges from 20% to 28%.
During the Study Commission’s April meeting, Daniel Reinhard, Jack Entertainment’s senior vice president of government affairs, argued that iGaming would negatively affect brick-and-mortar gaming.
“iGaming will damage Ohio businesses and cost Ohio jobs leading to diminished capital investment and degradation of Ohio’s existing tax base,” Reinhard said.
At the moment, the best Ohio offshore online casinos include Wild Casino, Las Atlantis, and MyBookie.