Senator Niraj Antani is leading the charge to lower Ohio’s sports betting tax rate back to 10%. Last year, Governor Mike DeWine proposed raising the tax to 20%, which was approved by the legislature and included in the 2024-2025 budget. However, Antani believes that the increase is detrimental to the state’s competitiveness in the sports betting market. He has introduced a counter-bill, SB190, to reduce the tax rate back to its original level.
The Senate Finance Committee has discussed the bill, and it will be decided upon in a lame-duck session next month. While DeWine argued that the higher tax rate would boost Ohio’s tax revenue, others have expressed skepticism. Representative Bill Seitz and the Ohio Study Commission on the Future of Gaming deemed the increase too high and premature.
Senator Antani not only seeks to lower the tax rate but also to legalize online casinos in Ohio. While the latter may not succeed immediately, he hopes it will spark discussions on the issue. Antani sees this as the beginning of a process that will lead to further deliberations on online gambling in the state.
Overall, Antani’s efforts highlight a broader conversation within the Ohio legislature about the future of the state’s sports betting and gambling industry. The decision on the tax rate bill will have significant implications for the market and revenue generation, and it remains to be seen whether it will gain the necessary support to pass.
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