(DKNG, FLUT, CZR, MGM) Ohio Sports Betting Tax a Tossup

By Joe Lieber Published on February 4, 2025 PDF

At this early stage, we give tossup odds to Governor Mike DeWine’s (R-OH) budget proposal released yesterday, raising the state’s tax rate on sports betting from 20% to 40%, becoming law. The budget now goes to the state legislature, where it must be enacted by June 30.

Given overwhelming GOP majorities and the mostly anti-tax state legislature, one would normally think such a measure faces long odds, but Gov. DeWine’s anti-sports betting views make this proposal unsurprising.

Recall back in 2023, the last time a budget was passed in the Buckeye state, DeWine successfully hiked the sports betting tax from 10% to 20%. As with the current proposal, the 2023 increase was part of a larger budget bill that passed the Senate 25-6 and the House by 67-30.

Keep in mind that Sen. Louis Blessing (R) and Rep. Bill Roemer (R) were both chairs of the tax committees in their respective bodies back in 2023, when the doubling of the sports betting tax passed, and they didn’t remove the tax hike on sports betting back then.

The tax hike, which is estimated to raise $130-$180 million, would help pay for professional sports facilities and youth sports.

Stay tuned.

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