Lawmaker Considers In-Person Incentives to Pass Ohio iGaming Bill

An Ohio iGaming bill has sat dormant for more than a year. Its sponsor now has a plan to build support for it in the state’s new legislative session.

Ohio Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), the sponsor of House Bill 298, said that he plans to restrict iGaming operators from offering promotional credits for online play in Ohio. Instead, Ohio iGaming operators would have to offer any promotional credits for use at their brick-and-mortar casinos.

Stewart believes this would help prevent iGaming from cannibalizing existing play at Ohio’s casinos and racinos. In practice, iGaming and online sports betting have become far more popular than in-person betting, leading to less traffic at physical locations.

Whether Stewart’s plan can succeed depends heavily on how the upcoming elections play out. Outgoing Gov. Mike DeWine has made clear he’s an opponent of expanding gambling in the Buckeye State. But with DeWine on his way out of office in a few months, HB 298 potentially has a much stronger chance of becoming law.

What Does the Ohio iGaming Bill Contain?

Specifically, HB 298 would open up iGaming to Ohio’s existing casinos and racinos. The bill would only allow Ohio’s 11 land-based casinos to apply for an iGaming license. This is intended to protect their interests, which carries a two-fold reason.

First, Stewart has said he wants to protect the jobs that Ohio’s casino industry offers. According to recent statistics, roughly 20,000 people are employed by Ohio casinos. Given that Stewart’s home of Ashville sits just 23 miles from Columbus’ Hollywood Casino, that likely includes several people in his district.

Second, Stewart hopes that restricting Ohio iGaming to land-based casinos can win their support. One of the biggest reasons HB 298 has gone nowhere to date is because of potential disagreements over how iGaming could be implemented in the state.

Lawmakers and casino operators alike remember too well how sports betting in Ohio was implemented. When sports betting came to the Buckeye State, no provisions were in place to protect Ohio’s nascent casino industry.

That gave FanDuel and DraftKings free reign to offer promotions far beyond what Ohio operators could match, letting them capture much of the market from the beginning. If Ohio iGaming becomes reality, nobody in the state wants to see a repeat.

How Likely Is the Ohio iGaming Bill to Pass?

It’s got little chance to become law in 2026. In order to become law this year, HB 298 would have to get through the Ohio House and Senate over the final two months of the year. While Stewart’s own party has a strong majority in both chambers, it has a fierce opponent in the governor’s office in DeWine.

However, DeWine is slated to exit the governor’s mansion in January. The new governor, either Amy Acton or Vivek Ramaswamy, could be more favorable to signing HB 298. That means Stewart has two options for getting Ohio iGaming through the legislature. He can attempt to begin debate in November and count on the legislative process slowing the bill down until DeWine leaves office, or he could simply wait to re-introduce the bill until January.

Stewart’s own re-election isn’t likely to play a factor in HB 298’s fate. He represents a highly Republican district and won his last race by 43 points over Democrat Brad Cotton. He faces Lee Yarsky, a property manager from Orient.

Where Do Ohio’s Top Lawmakers Stand?

Ironically, Stewart’s bill might be better served if the opposite party wins the governor’s race. Democrat Amy Acton has signaled that she would work to implement Ohio iGaming, with some provisions included. Given the priority Stewart has placed on getting his bill through the legislature, he’s likely to be open to working with her to obtain her signature.

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy hasn’t taken a concrete position on legal gambling in Ohio. If he wins, his support is likely contingent on whether he can achieve his goal of eliminating Ohio’s income tax. If Ohio Republicans eliminate the income tax, the state must make that up elsewhere. Passing iGaming might be a step toward doing that.