Ohio Gov. DeWine Comes Out Against iGaming Bills

 ^{Gov. DeWine expressed skepticism over online casino legalization at the Ohio State Fair, concerned that it could exacerbate addiction problems in Ohio. (Photo: Samantha Madar / AP)}

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told reporters at the Ohio State Fair that he was against efforts to expand gambling in the state to include iGaming options like online casino games.

Ohio already offers online sports betting, as well as a robust land-based casino industry which includes four casinos and seven racinos across the state.

DeWine: 24/7 Casino Access ‘Probably Not a Great Idea’

While there have been multiple bills introduced this year that would allow various expanded forms of online gambling – ranging from casino games to online poker and online lottery sales – DeWine came out strongly against those efforts in his comments.

“I’m not for it,” DeWine said. “Basically, to put a casino in everybody’s hands 24/7 I think is probably not a great idea, and I think it will cause more pain and suffering in regard to gaming addiction. So I’m just not for it…I think we probably have enough gambling in the state already.”

When asked about whether he would go as far as vetoing an iGaming expansion bill if it came across his desk, he signaled that it was at least a possibility. 

“I’m not the vote counter in the House or the Senate,” DeWine said. “I don’t usually use the “v” word but I’m very much against this.”

According to Ohio Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), unregulated sites are collecting an estimated $600 million to $2.2 billion per year from gamblers in the state. He and other sponsors of the bill have argued that the state could instead collect revenue from its own iGaming or online lottery sites, imposing a 36 percent tax rate on the activity along with a $50 million licensing fee.

GOP Supermajority Could Push Past Veto Threats

But anti-gambling groups have come out against the legislation. In May, more than 100 religious leaders in Ohio signed a letter urging lawmakers to reject gambling expansion online, including state Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), who is a pastor himself. 

“We know that gambling appeals to those who have the lowest education, the lowest income and the greatest debt,” Click said in May. “As we increase gambling, especially online gambling, we are hurting, we are harming, the most vulnerable people in the state of Ohio.”

If there’s enough support among Republican lawmakers to pass an iGaming bill, Gov. DeWine may not be able to do anything about it. Republicans hold a veto-proof supermajority in both houses of the state legislature, though votes on gambling bills are often split on factors other than party lines.

Ohio may be wrestling with the prospect of expanded iGaming, but it sits between two of the larger online gambling markets in the country in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board recently reported that online gambling overtook slot machines as the biggest gaming revenue source in the state, generating $2.48 billion in revenue between July 2024 and June 2025. Similarly, Michigan is collecting most of its gaming revenue online, with online casinos contributing $240.6 million of a total $285.5 million haul for the state industry in June 2025.