Ohio iGaming Bill Could Bring Online Casinos Closer

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Mon Sep 21, 2026, 12:00 pm ET

Read Time: 6 minutes

Ohio iGaming Bill Could Bring Online Casinos Closer

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Ohio's long-running debate over online casinos could be entering a new phase. State Rep. Brian Stewart has outlined a new approach designed to give existing casinos and racinos a direct stake in the digital market.

Stewart presented the proposal during an iDEA Growth panel, offering a fresh framework for advancing online casino legislation in Ohio.

The approach could address one of the biggest obstacles facing Ohio gambling expansion. Land-based operators have worried that online casinos could pull customers away from physical properties.

Under Stewart's proposal, iGaming licenses would go to Ohio's existing casinos and racinos. The framework would also change how online operators could use promotional credits.

Instead of using bonuses to encourage online play, operators would direct promotional value toward physical gaming properties. That structure could make online gaming more complementary to Ohio's retail casino industry.

Ohio iGaming Proposal Targets Land-Based Casino Concerns

Stewart's proposal reflects concerns that emerged after Ohio launched legal sports betting in 2023.

National operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings entered the market with substantial promotional budgets. Those offers helped the companies compete aggressively for online customers.

Stewart wants to avoid creating similar concerns if Ohio legalizes online casinos.

"There was a real concern over the promotional credits," he said. He pointed to the promotions used by major sportsbook operators after sports betting became legal.

According to Stewart, those offers could potentially reduce customers' visitation to land-based sportsbooks.

His proposed iGaming framework would therefore prevent online promotional credits. Instead, online operators would partner with physical casinos and racinos.

The arrangement would require online sites to offer land-based credits, effectively "directing people to the terrestrial casinos and racinos."

That structure would distinguish Ohio's proposed market from the promotional model used by many US online casinos.

Rather than offering large digital welcome bonuses, operators would potentially use physical casino credits to attract and retain customers.

The approach could also give existing casino companies a stronger reason to support online gaming.

Stewart Sees Revenue Opportunity for Ohio

Revenue remains another major argument behind the latest iGaming push.

Stewart has said online casinos could generate as much as $400 million in annual state revenue. Ohio has already demonstrated the tax potential of regulated gambling through its sports betting market.

The state collected substantial revenue after launching legal sports betting in January 2023. Meanwhile, Ohio's neighbors have developed additional regulated online gambling markets.

Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia all have legal iGaming markets. Therefore, Ohio residents can access regulated online casino products by crossing state borders.

Stewart believes Ohio could instead capture more of that economic activity within its own market.

"I think a lot of people are open to the idea of iGaming primarily from a revenue standpoint," said Stewart, whose state is bordered by three legal iGaming states in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Ohio will also have a new governor in 2027 after Mike DeWine's term ends.

Stewart said that transition could create another opportunity for supporters of online casino legalization.

"You actually had one of the candidates for governor – and it wasn't the one I expected – say she was open to iGaming revenue."

The potential revenue could therefore become an important part of future discussions about Ohio gambling policy.

Accessibility Remains an Obstacle

Despite the potential revenue, Stewart said Ohio lawmakers still have concerns about online gambling.

One issue involves the ease of accessing casino games through phones and computers.

Traditional casino gambling requires customers to travel to a physical property. Online gaming removes that barrier almost entirely.

"Legislators my age and below, I get no pushback on online gambling legislation. Legislators my age and above? It's a much harder sell," Stewart, who was born in 1982, explained to moderator John Pappas.

"There is still the general unease with technological advancement."

Stewart also described opposition from another legislator who focused on online gambling's accessibility.

That lawmaker compared the effort required to visit a brick-and-mortar casino with playing games on a phone or computer.

"That is an argument that I see gaining traction in my caucus," the Republican representative said. "If we're going to get this done in Ohio, we're going to have to have an answer for that."

Those concerns could shape any eventual responsible gambling framework.

Lawmakers could also examine rules covering advertising, age verification, account controls and player protections.

Lawmakers May Need More Education on iGaming

Stewart also believes lawmakers need a better understanding of online gaming technology. That includes the systems operators use for responsible gaming, identity verification and player monitoring.

"Because people in the industry live it every day, they assume other people are somewhat aware. And that's just not the case," Stewart said.

"I think there are a lot of things that these apps do, in terms of how they work, facial recognition, what they do from a responsible gaming standpoint, that legislators are not aware of."

That education effort could become important as lawmakers debate the future of Ohio gambling.

Ohio already regulates lottery games, commercial casinos, racinos and sports betting. However, online casino gaming remains outside the state's regulated market.

This framework reflects provisions introduced in Rep. Stewart's House Bill 298. The bill sought to legalize internet gambling while restricting licenses and promotional credits to protect retail operators.

While HB 298 remains pending in committee, Stewart's recent comments during the iDEA Growth panel outline how supporters plan to build legislative momentum behind the strategy.

Ohio iGaming Market Still Faces Legislative Hurdles

The latest developments do not mean Ohio will immediately become the next iGaming state.

Online casino legislation has faced significant challenges across the United States. Only a limited number of states currently permit regulated iGaming.

Ohio lawmakers must therefore balance potential tax revenue against responsible gambling concerns and existing casino interests.

They must also determine whether online casinos would complement Ohio's retail market or compete against it.

Stewart's proposal attempts to address that issue before legislation moves forward.

By limiting licenses to existing casinos and racinos, Ohio could give the land-based sector direct control over online expansion.

The promotional restrictions would go further by directing online incentives toward physical properties. That model could provide existing operators with an economic reason to support iGaming rather than oppose it.

The proposal also arrives as competition continues among regulated US online casinos and US online sportsbooks.

Ohio already has experience regulating digital wagering. However, extending that framework to casino games would represent a broader expansion of the state's gambling market.

Looking Ahead

For now, an Ohio iGaming market remains a possibility rather than a certainty.

Still, Stewart's proposal offers lawmakers a different strategy for addressing the political concerns that have complicated previous attempts to legalize online casinos.

Its progress will depend on whether lawmakers can reconcile the potential revenue with concerns about accessibility, responsible gambling and the future of Ohio's land-based casino industry.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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