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Ohio Rep. Brian Stewart said West Virginia is one of three states bordering Ohio with legal iGaming, using that regional map to argue that online casino legalization is already close to home for Ohio policymakers.
Stewart made the comment during an iDEA Growth webinar, the "2026 Power Lunch Summit," where lawmakers from Ohio, Massachusetts, and Virginia discussed why online casino legislation remains difficult to pass even as regulated iGaming expands in other states.
Ohio lawmaker points to nearby legal markets
According to the webinar discussion, Stewart introduced online casino bills in Ohio in 2025 and said one of the biggest obstacles is legislative discomfort with how easy online casino play is compared with going to a retail casino.
"That is an argument that I see gaining traction in my caucus. If we’re going to get this done in Ohio, we’re going to have to have an answer for that," Stewart said.
He also said lawmakers often need more education on how regulated online gaming products work, including responsible gaming tools and facial recognition technology. Stewart said Ohio borders three legal iGaming states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Lawmakers say regulation moves slowly despite revenue case
The webinar also featured Massachusetts Rep. David Muradian and Virginia Sen. Jeremy McPike, both of whom have introduced iGaming legislation in their states without success so far.
Muradian said residents are already gambling online and framed the issue as one of regulation rather than permission. "For me it comes down to the simple premise of Massachusetts residents are already participating in online gaming, and it isn’t a question of whether we should allow it, but how we should regulate it," he said.
McPike said Virginia consumers can already reach offshore sites and said lawmakers should focus on taxation, consumer protection, problem gaming support, and a workable regulatory framework.
John Pappas of iDEA Growth said regulated iGaming generated $2.6 billion in state tax revenue in 2025 and is on track to top $3 billion in 2026.
The source article also noted that only eight states have passed online casino legalization bills in the last 15 years, underscoring the slow pace of expansion even as supporters cite tax revenue and existing consumer demand.
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Source: As reported by Eric Raskin.
