Ohio has its first online casino bill, though it’s unlikely to get much legislative attention this year.

Sen. Niraj Antani filed a bill Wednesday seeking to legalize Ohio online casino. The legislation allows Ohio’s 11 casinos and racinos each to offer one online casino app.

Facing term limits, Antani is entering his final months in office.

The Ohio legislature will return for a short lame-duck session after the November elections. However, Sen. Nathan Manning told PlayUSA he doesn’t expect an online casino bill to get so much as a hearing at that time.

“It’s a little late in this General Assembly. Certainly, I’m interested to take a look at the language. But I can’t imagine it would move this late in the session. We’ll see what happens next term.”

Details of first Ohio online casino legislation

Here are the key details of SB312:

• Establishes the Ohio Casino Control Commission as regulator of online casino gaming.
• Allows licensed casino operators in the state to obtain an internet casino gaming permit.
• Online operators may obtain an internet casino gaming associate permit to operate internet casino gaming on behalf of a licensed casino operator.
• For permits and associate permits, sets an initial fee of at least $300,000, renewable annually for $250,000, at the commission’s discretion.
• Sets a nonrefundable initial application fee of at least $100,000, also at the commission’s discretion.
• Requires each internet casino gaming permit holder to pay $250,000 annually to the problem casino gambling and addictions fund.
• Taxes Ohio online casino gaming at a 15% rate for both online slots and table games.
• Limits internet gaming marketing affiliate licenses to five. Marketing affiliates pay $25,000 for a three-year license with a $10,000 initial application fee.

Movement unlikely in lame-duck session

In 2021, Antani was a key member of the Select Committee on Gaming and sponsored the Ohio sports betting legislation that became law.

However, as an outgoing senator, he lacks influence to generate movement for Ohio online casino legislation this year.

Antani ran for election in the US House to represent Ohio’s second congressional district. He lost the Republican primary in March with just 1.7% of the vote.

Before he leaves the state senate, Antani leaves his mark as the first Ohio legislator to file online casino legisation.

Antani explained his reasons for filing the Ohio iGaming bill in a news release cited by local WKEF news:

“As gaming has evolved in our state and we’ve seen massive success with sports betting, it’s now time to legalize iGaming in Ohio. Many Ohioans don’t have close access to a casino or racino, but should be able to participate in this entertainment option. It’s time to bring iGaming out of the black market and into the sunshine to provide it safely to all Ohioans.”

Coming out of an Ohio future on gaming study committee this year, nobody had committed to filing the first iGaming bill. The biggest supporter in the Ohio House, Rep. Jay Edwards, also is facing term limits.