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Ohio Rep. Brian Stewart has indicated that he plans to introduce a bill to legalize online casinos in Ohio, which wouldn’t be the first such attempt but might have greater momentum behind it. There are signs that the concept of regulated iGaming has made significant progress in the state. Stewart is among the leaders of the controlling Republican caucus in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Stewart’s primary sponsorship of his proposal alone might not be enough to push the bill through the legislature and to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, but it seems probable that his legislation will at least get a hearing in the Ohio House after he files it. For that reason, parties interested in Ohio iGaming will weigh in on the contents of Stewart’s plan.
Stewart confirms work on online casino bill
According to Karen Kasler of WOSU Public Media, Stewart has confirmed that he is putting together “a bill to establish iGaming in Ohio.” The expansion of legal online gambling that Stewart is set to propose could not only give Ohioans access to digital versions of table games, live dealer games, and online slots, but potentially allow them to take part in multi-state online poker pools, too.
There is no confirmed timeline for when Stewart plans to introduce the bill. The Ohio legislature meets throughout 2025, so Stewart is not facing any submission or cross-over deadlines.
Stewart’s influence in the chamber is significant, as he chairs the House Finance Committee, and was the primary sponsor of the 2025 House budget proposal. Kasler reports that Stewart’s primary selling point for iGaming regulation is to produce more revenue for the state, so it’s likely that his bill will receive some level of consideration.
The bill follows previous, remedial efforts to make Ohio the eighth US state with legal online casino access for residents.
Stewart’s proposal pushes conversation forward
Stewart’s bill will be the second bill out of Columbus to expand Ohio’s regulated online gambling landscape to include iGaming. Former Ohio Senator Niraj Antani filed the first in late 2024 before he left office.
The bill never got a hearing, however. Antani had served as a member of a select committee to study the impact of legal online casinos in Ohio, and Stewart’s proposal could build on that report and/or Antani’s bill.
Previously, Ohio legislators commented that iGaming regulation would be a multi-year process to enact. If that holds true, Stewart’s bill is the next step, and could begin lobbying in Columbus on the issue in earnest.
Time to read the room for online casino support
With the introduction of Stewart’s legislation, other members of the Ohio House may go on record to either oppose or support the bill. Additionally, it could become clearer where Ohio’s casino licensees stand on the issue.
Some pushback from the gambling industry in Ohio seems likely. For example, Churchill Downs operates Miami Valley Gaming in Lebanon. Churchill Downs has been adamantly opposed to the expansion of online casinos in other states.
Given Ohio’s population, greater than neighboring Michigan where iGaming has been legal for years, it’s unlikely that opponents who are concerned that legal iGaming could cut into their revenues will remain silent.
Support from other licensees besides Churchill Downs may be contingent on the contents of Stewart’s proposal. For example, MGM Resorts and Penn Entertainment testified in opposition to an iGaming legalization bill in Maryland because it would have allowed gaming companies that did not have a brick-and-mortar presence in the state to obtain online casino licenses.
Both MGM and Penn operate gambling properties in Ohio as well. Licensees might either give or withhold their support based on the tax rate Stewart includes.
Other entities that seem likely to weigh in are labor unions, who have opposed iGaming legalization in other states due to concerns that lost revenues at physical casinos would lead to job loss for members. Advocates for responsible gambling could lend their voices to the opposition, too.
Overcoming that opposition might not occur in 2025, but Stewart’s 2025 filing might serve as important stepping stone to that action in the future. At the very least, a legislator with Stewart’s pull represents significant positive momentum for Ohioans’ access to regulated online casino games.
