Recent efforts to legalize online poker and casinos in several states have mostly been fruitless, but Ohio appears to be making a run at it.
Rep. Brian Stewart, who chairs the House Finance Committee, told local media he wants to introduce a bill to legalize online poker and other casino games. He believes adding these games could bring additional revenue to the state as the budget process plays out.
The move comes after legislators recently nixed Gov. Mike DeWine’s attempt to double the state’s tax on sports betting from 20% to 40%.
Other Legislators Support Online Poker Addition
Online gaming has received some support in Ohio in recent months. A state commission studied the issue last July and noted that legalized states not only saw increased gaming revenue, but also additional lottery sales.
“These tax revenue benefits to the state and funding that could be provided to our K-12 education system cannot be overlooked,” the trio of Republican panelists concluded.
However, the commission also expressed concerns echoed by legislators in some other states, that additional online revenue shouldn’t come at the expense of the state’s land-based casinos.
Last year, Sen. Niraj Antani attempted to legalize online gaming in the Buckeye State. His bill would have put the Ohio Casino Control Commission in charge of regulating the industry and selecting vendors.
Antani co-sponsored one of the early sports betting bills. He thinks allowing online gaming is a logical extension of the state’s casino industry.
“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,” Antani said. “Many Ohioans don’t have close access to a casino or racino, but should be able to participate in this entertainment option.”
12 Million More To MSIGA Player Pool
With a population of 12 million, Ohio could give a big increase to the country’s Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement. MSIGA currently combines the online poker player pools in Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Delaware and West Virginia are also members, but have yet to see any operators launch in those states.
Lawmakers in Arkansas, Illinois, and New Hampshire have also introduced online gaming bills in recent months. But none of those attempts came to fruition.
While many Ohio lawmakers are on board with the addition, not all brick-and-mortar gambling companies want online expansion. Several regional casino operators joined forces earlier this year to create the National Association Against iGaming.
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