State Representative Brian Stewart, the bill’s sponsor, wants iGaming operators to make any promotional credits redeemable only at brick-and-mortar properties, aiming to stop online casino gaming from pulling traffic and revenue away from Ohio’s existing venues. The bill would also limit iGaming licenses to companies that already run one of the state’s 11 casinos or racinos, an industry that currently employs around 20,000 people. Stewart says narrowing the field this way could ease pushback from casino operators worried about competition, while protecting jobs that are connected to physical gaming venues.
Stewart explained:
“We would say that you can’t offer online promotional credits. You can offer promotional credits, but they need to be credits for the land-based casino. If I introduce a bill and it immediately becomes this turf fight amongst all the different gaming interests, it’s dead on Day 1.”
The proposal builds on Ohio’s 2023 sports betting launch, when heavy promotional spending from FanDuel and DraftKings affected the market, as Stewart is hoping to avoid a similar case in iGaming. He additionally pointed to estimates suggesting a regulated online casino market could bring in as much as $400 million a year for the state.
