There aren’t any indications that the current gambling bill in Ohio–SB 312–will be changed soon. Even though an Ohio Republican has filed a bill that aims to reduce the online casino tax rate and make it lower than that of sports betting, it still hasn’t been assigned to a committee.

Moreover, the current Ohio governor, Mike DeWine, will stay on duty until January 2027, and he is very vocal about his anti-gambling stance. At the moment, online casinos are illegal in Ohio, but they are legal and regulated in neighboring states, such as West Virginia.

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As for when and if online gambling will become legal in Ohio, that remains undecided. Back in July, Ohio Republicans made it clear they support legal online gambling; Jay Edwards, Jeff LaRe, and Cindy Abrams made comments regarding the online casino industry in the state, which were included in an extensive report done on the subject.

The timing of the bill raises a lot of interest, as its sponsor, Antani, announced that he will not return in 2025. If the bill is to be passed, it needs to do so by the end of the year.

Likewise, it’s odd to see a non-essential bill being passed in an election year. This is the time when politicians vote on vital topics and avoid controversial ones, like online gambling.

Currently, there are four brick-and-mortar casinos in Ohio — the Hard Rock Cincinnati, the Hollywood casinos in Columbus and Toledo, and JACK Cleveland. In August, Ohio’s gambling venues reported a record-breaking monthly revenue of $204.1 million.

Antani’s bill aims to expand on its existing regulations to include online casinos. He also suggested different fees and taxes be applied, like a 15% tax on gross receipts. Currently, digital gambling operators face a 20% tax, and the percentage resulted from DeWine’s insistence on doubling the tax rate. Initially, the tax rate in Ohio for gross receipts was 10%.

If any online casino operators were to join Ohio’s market, they would have to adjust to the requirements of the existing casinos.

Moreover, they’d be facing numerous fees, such as a minimal fee of $650,000 during the application process for a permit holder. Approved operators would then face additional fees, while rejected ones would have to suffer a $100,000 loss in the name of non-refundable fees. To renew their license, approved candidates would have to spend at least $250,000 per year, and make a mandatory contribution to the problem and responsible gambling fund of the same amount.

The proposal doesn’t cover the number of online casinos it aims to bring into the state.