Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said that he is “not for it” when discussing the state’s potential legalization of online casinos, per Cleveland.com.
DeWine, 78, said that he does not like to use his veto power, but he is strongly against legalizing iGaming in Ohio.
Key Takeaways
- DeWine doubled the state’s sports betting tax rate from 10 to 20 percent last year
- Online casinos are only legal in seven states
- A pair of bills circulating the legislature would each legalize 11 online casino operators’ licenses
Ohio has become a strong market for retail casino gamblers and legal sports betting operators. DeWine last year also doubled the state’s sports betting tax from 10 to 20 percent to generate more state funding.
Despite that - and the tax windfall that would come from legalizing a new form of gambling - online casinos do not seem to be on the docket any time soon.
“I think we probably have enough gambling in the state already,” Gov. Mike DeWine said.
Members of the Ohio House and Senate this year introduced bills to legalize iGaming. Rep. Brian Stewart’s (R-District 12) House Bill 298 and Sen. Ethan Manning’s (R-District 23) both would have created 11 online casino licenses, one for each of the state’s casinos and racinos.
Although the bills have garnered attention, DeWine is unsure if they have enough legislative support to get to his desk.
“I’m not the vote counter in the House or the Senate,” added DeWine. “Basically, to put a casino in everybody's hands 24/7 I think is probably not a great idea, and I think it will cause more pain and suffering in regard to gaming addiction. So I'm just not for it.”
The bills under consideration
Rep. Stewart’s HB 298 would invoke a $50 million license fee upfront and $10 million for every renewal period. Operators would pay 28 percent of their gross gaming revenue in taxes, and consumers would be prevented from making credit card deposits or redeeming online bonuses and promotions.
“We already have table games, we already have slots, and we already have online gambling. House Bill 298 would simply blend the two and allow virtual slot machines and virtual table games alongside online sports betting,” Stewart said in May.
Sen. Ethan Manning’s SB 197 would also charge $50 million per license, but only $5 million per renewal. It would also charge operators 36 percent of their revenue, or 40 percent for third-party operators.
The push for online casino legalization follows a study submitted by Ohio legislators last year. The findings included commendatory opinions of online casinos, which are only legal in seven states.
DeWine’s tenure
Gov. DeWine assumed office in Jan. 2019 and was reappointed in 2023. He will finish his second term in Jan. 2027.
Notably, DeWine was in charge when Ohio legalized sports betting. He also tried to, for the second straight year, double the state’s sports betting tax rate from 20 to 40 percent in this year’s budget proposal, though that change was removed by lawmakers.
