Over in the Buckeye State, the waves of change are potentially coming as they relate to new gaming updates across the state. Per a recent report, several Republican state lawmakers in Ohio have voiced their support for the legalization of online casino gambling and internet lottery gaming in recent months. Moreover, the article references this came after serving three months on a study commission tasked with considering the future of the gaming industry in the Buckeye State. Ohio Reps. Jay Edwards (R-Athens), Jeff RaRe (R-Violet), and Cindy Abrams (R-Hamilton) were three of the eight state lawmakers appointed to the Study Commission on the Future of Gaming in Ohio. According to the update, Edwards co-chaired the study panel with Sen. Nathan Manning (R-Lorain).
In this report, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news coming from the state of Ohio along with some other thoughts and notes about gaming in the area.
Noted in the same report, the study commission held four meetings on February 20, March 19, March 20, and April 11 during which time the state’s gaming interests provided testimony on whether the state should or shouldn’t expand gambling to the internet. Currently, online sports betting is only allowed. Following hours of testimony provided both in-person and through submitted letters, Edwards, LaRe, and Abrams concluded that legalizing iGaming and iLottery is in the state’s and consumers’ best interests. As some are aware, the Ohio legislative session runs through the end of the year.
As of this article’s writing, the three House Republicans wrote the General Assembly that the state should expand commercial casinos and lottery gaming to the internet in a regulated environment. Edwards, LaRe, and Abrams acknowledged in their letter some pushback from the state’s current brick-and-mortar casinos. Per the report, this most notably came from Jack Entertainment, which operates two gaming properties in the Cleveland metro area, but believes such expansion is warranted.
“While we understand their hesitation to expand due to an uncertain impact, we believe that iLottery and iGaming could be a net benefit to the state of Ohio. Looking at other states that have implemented either or both iLottery and iGaming, we see significant increases to tax revenues generated with greater participation but also that in-person sales continued to increase,” the Republicans wrote.
As noted in the article, the representatives said that while they support iGaming, any implementation “must not come at a cost” to the state’s current casinos and racinos that employ thousands of Ohioans. Online lottery sales and/or instant gameplays are offered in just states: Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Dakota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Washington D.C., allows iLottery, too. The Ohio Republicans supportive of iLottery say allowing online gameplay has only supplemented lottery sales and increased revenue for the programs they benefit. The trio of Republicans was joined by Rep. Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) in supporting iGaming and iLottery, though she urged that it must be done in a way that doesn’t negatively impact brick-and-mortar casinos or lottery retailers.
“The reality is that many other states are moving in this direction and Ohioans are already using the illicit market. Lawmakers should accept that it is very likely that these expansions are only a matter of time and move forward in the best interest of the State of Ohio. As technology evolves and society progresses, so too should our laws,” Sweeney wrote.
Per the article, other lawmakers serving on the Study Commission on the Future of Gaming in Ohio weren’t so sure that iGaming and iLottery are needed, at least at this juncture. Manning said Ohio “must proceed with caution” in discussing such gambling, as the verticals “potentially have more addictive qualities.” State Sen. Al Landis (R-Dover) said his position “is to maintain the status quo and keep the brick-and-mortar sites rather than have the state expand into iLottery and other forms of virtual gaming.” Moreover, Landis also cited addiction concerns as his primary reason for opposition.
Meanwhile, State Sen. William DeMora (D-Columbus) also opposed online gaming and lottery play. Along with addiction worries, DeMora opined that iGaming and iLottery would negatively hurt business and retail facilities according to the article. “The casino gaming industry employs hundreds of people with good, union jobs. We cannot risk the position of these critical institutions by making them irrelevant. With Ohioans who want to gamble turning to their phones instead of supporting brick-and-mortar stores,” DeMora wrote.
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news and info coming from the world of Ohio gaming, make sure to tap into the awesome array of info for you at SBS. Of course, for even more analysis on the topic covered here, make sure to peruse the Ohio sports betting guide. On this page, you can learn more about the state of gaming in the Buckeye State and beyond. On a separate note, if you are interested in diversifying your deposit and withdrawal options, you should also check out the payment methods breakdown where you can learn more about these routes from traditional to crypto. Finally, if you are interested in charging up your wagers (and who isn’t), you should also check out the best bonus betting sites rundown where you can find a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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