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- Ohio Democratic candidate Amy Acton endorsed legalizing regulated online casinos to generate new state revenue.
- Acton stressed that any iGaming expansion must include strong consumer protections and restrict predatory advertising.
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has publicly backed legalizing online casinos in Ohio, saying iGaming could create a new source of state revenue if it comes with strong regulation and consumer protections.
The comments put online casino legalization into Ohio’s 2026 governor’s race, even though any expansion would still need support from state lawmakers. For the industry, the immediate takeaway is political: a major statewide candidate is now openly endorsing regulated iGaming rather than leaving the issue to the legislature alone.
Acton said regulation could help address play that is already happening outside a legal state framework. She also tied her support to public-health safeguards.
> “That said, I am a doctor and a public health professional, and I want to make sure we have the right regulatory environment around it. I want to make sure we stop the sort of predatory advertising we’re seeing, and I want to make sure our young people are protected,” Acton said.
Acton frames iGaming as revenue source with guardrails
According to the source report, Acton argued that legal online casinos could provide fresh revenue for public funding in Ohio. She also said regulation could close what she described as a loophole, because some players are already participating in the market illegally.
Her position was not presented as a call for unchecked gambling expansion. Instead, Acton said any future framework should include strong consumer-protection laws, restrictions on predatory advertising, and protections for younger people.
That makes her comments notable in a state where the core debate would likely center on two familiar issues: whether iGaming can generate meaningful tax revenue and whether lawmakers can build protections that satisfy public-health and responsible gambling concerns.
Rival Vivek Ramaswamy calls for a responsible approach
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy did not outline a detailed online casino plan in the source report, but he said any gambling-law changes should be handled carefully.
> “whatever we do, it is going to be done in a responsible way that protects Ohioans,” Ramaswamy said.
That leaves several key questions unresolved. The biggest is whether Ohio legislators will introduce or advance an online casino bill at all. The source report also noted that legislative backing for online casino regulation is not guaranteed, even if a future governor supports it.
For now, Acton’s endorsement does not change Ohio law or set an effective date for online casinos. What it does change is the political conversation: online casino legalization is now part of the state’s gubernatorial campaign, with consumer protections and public funding emerging as central themes to watch.
Source: As reported by gamblingnews.com.
