On September 4, Antani introduced a 146-page bill whose sole purpose is to legalize online gambling in the state. The bill would create a regulatory framework for online casinos, maintained by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
According to the terms of the bill, the 11 active casinos and racetracks in Ohio would each receive a license to offer one type of online casino service.
The bill highlights the responsibilities of the commission and the OCCC, which include overseeing and regulating the launch of each online casino product, as well as approving the games that will be offered on each platform. The proposed tax rate for online table games and slots is 15%, which is lower than the current 20% applied to sports betting.
Once the bill is passed, Ohio will become the eighth state in the US to legalize online gambling, hoping to achieve similar economic growth to states like Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
Ohio could also benefit from being one of the most populous states to legalize online casino gaming, with a population of 12 million, ranking second among the aforementioned states - only behind Pennsylvania.
Challenges in Ohio
The introduction of the bill comes at a time of political turmoil in the US, close to the elections, with legislative work facing uncertainty. The bill is expected to be reviewed by the Ohio Senate by the end of this year.
Another potential setback for the bill could come from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who expressed disdain for gambling when he regretted the passage of the state's online sports betting legislation in 2021.
Governor DeWine mentioned that "misconduct" and "unacceptable behavior" emerged after the launch of the online gambling market, with some college athletes being "harassed" by gamblers.
Furthermore, although Antani introduced the bill, he is unlikely to pass it through the legislative process due to term limits that will see him leave office at the end of this year.
