Ohio lawmakers clarified that casinos could apply to open retail sportsbooks under an amended sports bill agreed to by a state gaming committee Wednesday, the latest tweak in the legislation’s slow and steady progress toward legalization.
Lawmakers took little further action Wednesday on the much-discussed bill, which would create one of the nation’s largest online and retail wagering markets and continue legal sports betting’s spread across the Midwest; Ohio neighbors Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana and Michigan all already allow statewide mobile wagering.
If signed into law, all 11 casino and hybrid horse track “racinos” would be eligible to apply for an online license, which makes up the vast majority of betting handle in mature markets.
