According to a recent report, candidates for Ohio governor support iGaming expansion within the state. This includes Democratic nominee Amy Acton and Libertarian candidate Don Kissick. However, Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy has remained silent on the issue, so Ohio iGaming expansion could be determined by the results of the upcoming election.
Ohio is a market that generates approximately $3.5 billion in revenue in 2025, according to the American Gaming Association. But with 13 online operators available, there is room for expansion in a market with a lot of potential.
If Amy Acton or Don Kissick are elected as Ohio governor in November, this could mean more licenses being granted to additional operators to set up shop in the Buckeye State. However, if Vivek Ramaswamy is elected, that outcome appears unlikely amid his silence on the issue.
The main benefit of more operators would be easier access for Ohio residents to place wagers in a controlled and secure environment. Each regulated operator is subject to compliance requirements by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery Commission, so they are safe to use.
By expanding Ohio iGaming, it would give residents more options to choose from, which would deter them from joining offshore operators that don’t have the same consumer safeguards in place. Furthermore, it could generate more revenue for the state, which can be used for essential services.
However, expanding Ohio iGaming has become a contentious issue, especially amid a gambling scandal in MLB involving Cleveland Guardians players. This involved pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz collaborating with gamblers to manipulate their results on microbetting, which is where users placed wagers on the results of specific pitches.
While this scandal caused MLB to respond by placing restrictions on microbets, it didn’t stop public criticism of the issue of sports betting.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine not only agreed with MLB’s microbet restrictions, but he also publicly stated that he regretted signing sports betting into law. Gov. DeWine explained that with how sports betting has become embedded within the viewing experience, it has too many negative effects, especially on younger viewers.
With that in mind, even if Amy Acton or Don Kissick are elected as Ohio governor, there’s a chance that there could be obstacles to expanding sports betting within the state. Gov. DeWine’s comments reflect a common talking point about the risks of sports betting expansion, so there could be challenges there.
It will be interesting to see how the November election results could impact the path towards Ohio sports betting expansion. But even if Vivek Ramaswamy is not elected, it’s unclear what this could look like given that it’s a contentious issue.
Currently, Ohio residents can place wagers at the following operators:
Whatever the outcome is, it’s clear that Ohio sports betting expansion has become a hot-button topic in the Buckeye State.
