More than a year after Ohio lawmakers began exploring online casino legalization, the effort has slowed to a near standstill. Despite multiple bills introduced in 2025, there has been little sign of progress in either chamber of the General Assembly.
Legislative Efforts Introduced but Stalled
Two key proposals remain on the table: Senate Bill 197 and House Bill 298.
SB 197, introduced in May 2025, would authorize internet-based casino games, horse race betting, and an online state lottery platform. The proposal sets out a licensing system for existing casino and racino operators, alongside a graduated tax rate beginning at 36% on gross gaming revenue.
HB 298, filed around the same time, focuses more narrowly on online casino gaming, omitting iLottery and horse racing. It calls for a 28% tax rate and includes measures to restrict participation to users located within Ohio and aged 21 or older.
Both bills remain in their respective committees — SB 197 in the Senate Select Committee on Gaming and HB 298 in the House Finance Committee. Neither has advanced to a floor vote or received substantive amendments since the summer.
Governor and Legislative Leaders Express Resistance
Governor Mike DeWine has firmly stated that he does not support expanding gambling to include online casinos. Speaking at a public event in July 2025, he argued that Ohio already offers ample gambling opportunities and said he does not favor “putting a casino in everyone’s pocket.”
In the General Assembly, House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) recently confirmed that the issue is unlikely to move forward in the near term. In an October 2025 interview, he noted that the legislature has already overseen several major gambling expansions in recent years — including sports betting and racetrack modernization — and that there is limited appetite to go further right now.
Background: Push Followed Sports Betting Success
Interest in online casino legalization grew after Ohio’s sports betting market launched in January 2023. That rollout generated hundreds of millions in wagers and new tax revenue, prompting some lawmakers to consider whether a regulated iGaming market could yield similar fiscal benefits.
The two 2025 bills were introduced to capture that potential, with sponsors projecting hundreds of millions in possible annual tax revenue if the state were to legalize and tax online casino play. However, those fiscal arguments have not been enough to overcome concerns from the governor’s office and legislative leadership about gambling addiction and the social effects of broader access.
Next Steps
For now, both chambers appear content to let the issue rest. Unless there is a significant policy shift or public push, Ohio is unlikely to legalize online casino gaming before the end of the current legislative session.
Future efforts would likely need to address the governor’s objections and demonstrate stronger bipartisan support. Until then, Ohio remains one of several states where online casino proposals have been introduced but not advanced — a contrast to the rapid adoption of sports betting two years earlier.
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