Ohio iGaming Bill Loses Its Sponsor as Nathan Manning Exits the Senate

Ohio's push to legalize online casino gaming just lost its most important Senate voice. Nathan Manning, the North Ridgeville Republican who chaired the Senate Select Committee on Gaming and served as chief author of Senate Bill 197, is leaving the legislature after Governor Mike DeWine appointed him to the Ninth District Court of Appeals on Friday, July 12, 2026. Manning takes the bench on August 3, 2026, and his exit removes the bill's lead sponsor at the exact moment Ohio's iGaming debate was heading toward a decisive round.

The timing matters because SB 197 has never made it out of committee, and the person who was supposed to steer it through is now trading the statehouse for the courthouse. For an industry watching Ohio as one of the largest potential online casino markets in the United States, the loss of a committed sponsor is a real setback, even if it is not fatal.

What happened to Nathan Manning and Ohio iGaming?

Manning is leaving the Ohio Senate to become a judge, and in doing so he steps away from the iGaming bill he introduced. Governor DeWine named him to fill a vacancy on the Ninth District Court of Appeals created by the retirement of Republican Judge Donna Carr, who served 28 years on the court. Manning, 44, will take office on August 3 and must run for election in November to keep the seat, according to the Governor's office.

Key facts at a glance

• Manning chaired the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Gaming and was chief author of Senate Bill 197, introduced in May 2025.
• He was appointed to the Ninth District Court of Appeals on July 12, 2026 and takes office on August 3, 2026.
• SB 197 proposed a 28% tax on gross gaming revenue and projected $400 million to $800 million in annual state revenue at maturity.
• Ohio generated $209 million in tax from sports betting in 2025, per Gambling Insider.
• Governor DeWine remains publicly opposed to online casino legalization.

Why does Manning's departure matter for online casino legalization?

It matters because committee chairs control whether a bill lives or dies. As chairman of the Select Committee on Gaming, Manning decided which measures got hearings and how they were shaped. A sponsor who also chairs the committee is the single most powerful advocate a bill can have. Remove that person, and the legislation loses both its author and its gatekeeper in one move.

Ohio Senate President Rob McColley will now choose a new gaming committee chair from the remaining Republican members. Names floated include Vice Chair Mark Romanchuk, along with Theresa Gavarone, Bill Reineke and Jane Timken. Whoever takes the gavel inherits a stalled bill and will set the pace for any 2026 or 2027 action.

What was in Ohio Senate Bill 197?

SB 197 was the broader of Ohio's two competing iGaming proposals. It aimed to legalize online casino games and poker, authorize the Ohio Lottery to run instant games online, and permit online parimutuel wagering on horse racing. The bill set a 28% tax on gross gaming revenue, with 99% of proceeds directed to the state General Fund and 1% ring-fenced for problem gambling programs.

The licensing terms were steep by design. Operators would pay a $50 million upfront license fee and a $10 million renewal every five years, a structure that favors Ohio's existing casinos and racinos over new entrants. Those numbers signal a market built around incumbents rather than a wide-open field.

How does SB 197 compare with House Bill 298?

The House and Senate took different routes to the same destination. House Bill 298, sponsored by Representatives Brian Stewart and Marilyn John, kept a narrower scope focused on online slots, interactive table games and poker, and it explicitly prohibited online sweepstakes platforms. The Senate bill went wider by adding iLottery instant games and online horse racing wagers.

Feature	Senate Bill 197 (Manning)	House Bill 298 (Stewart, John)
Online casino and poker	Yes	Yes
iLottery instant games	Yes	No
Online parimutuel wagering	Yes	No
Online sweepstakes	Not authorized	Explicitly prohibited
Proposed tax rate	28% of gross gaming revenue	Online slots and table games

House and Senate authors had committed to crafting compromise legislation that reconciles the two approaches. Manning's exit does not erase that work, but it removes the Senate half of the negotiating partnership.

Where does Governor DeWine stand?

DeWine is firmly against online casino legalization, and that is the biggest obstacle of all. The governor has warned about the risks of putting a casino in every pocket, telling reporters that "to put a casino in everybody's hands, 24-7, I think is probably not a great idea." He went further in a separate remark: "I'm very much against this."

"I'm not going to usually use the V word, but I'm very much against this." Governor Mike DeWine, on online casino legalization in Ohio, quoted by Bonus.com.

DeWine has stopped short of an explicit veto pledge, but his opposition sets a high bar. There is added irony in the fact that the same governor who just handed Manning a judgeship is the one blocking the bill Manning championed. DeWine has also expressed regret about legalizing sports betting, a stance that colors his view of any further gambling expansion.

How big is the money at stake for Ohio?

The revenue case is substantial. Backers of SB 197 projected $400 million to $800 million in annual state revenue once an online casino market matured. For comparison, Ohio collected roughly $209 million in tax from sports betting in 2025, so a mature iGaming market could more than double the state's online gambling tax take.

That fiscal upside is why the debate keeps resurfacing despite the governor's resistance. Lawmakers have floated tying iGaming proceeds to infrastructure or mental health initiatives to build political support, a familiar tactic in states where the executive branch is skeptical.

Was Manning at the end of his Senate career anyway?

Yes, and that context softens the blow slightly. First elected to the Senate in 2018, Manning was serving his final term under Ohio's two successive four-year term limit for state senators. He had won the Republican primary unopposed and was set to face Democrat Mike Baker in a November House race, which he now forgoes for the bench. In other words, Manning was leaving the Senate regardless. The question is whether his iGaming advocacy leaves with him or gets picked up by a successor.

What happens to Ohio online casino legislation now?

The most likely outcome is a pause rather than a collapse. SB 197 sits in committee without its author, and the new chair will decide whether to revive it, fold it into a House compromise, or let it lapse. With DeWine opposed and the legislative calendar tightening, momentum has clearly cooled. Ohio's gambling expansion has stalled before, and the loss of a committed sponsor makes a near-term breakthrough less likely.

Still, the underlying drivers remain. Neighboring states are moving, the revenue numbers are large, and operators continue to lobby. Ohio's story echoes the broader US pattern of gradual, contested online gambling expansion, from multi-state online poker going live to Alberta's regulated iGaming launch across the border. The players change; the fight continues.

Who could take over Ohio's gaming committee?

The next chair comes from the Senate GOP, chosen by President Rob McColley. Vice Chair Mark Romanchuk is the natural frontrunner given his existing committee role, but Theresa Gavarone, Bill Reineke and Jane Timken have all been mentioned. Their appetite for iGaming will shape whether Ohio revisits SB 197 in the current session or waits for a new legislative cycle.

Updated July 2026

This report reflects the situation as of July 2026, following Governor DeWine's July 12 appointment of Senator Nathan Manning to the Ninth District Court of Appeals. We will update it as the Ohio Senate names a new gaming committee chair and as any compromise between SB 197 and HB 298 develops.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Nathan Manning?

Nathan Manning is a Republican from North Ridgeville who served in the Ohio Senate from 2018, chaired the Senate Select Committee on Gaming, and authored iGaming bill SB 197. Governor Mike DeWine appointed him to the Ninth District Court of Appeals in July 2026.

What is Ohio Senate Bill 197?

SB 197 is a bill introduced in May 2025 to legalize online casino gaming, poker, iLottery instant games and online horse racing wagers in Ohio, with a 28% tax on gross gaming revenue. It has not advanced out of committee.

Is online casino legal in Ohio?

No. Online casino gaming is not legal in Ohio as of July 2026. Ohio has legal retail and online sports betting, but iGaming bills SB 197 and HB 298 remain pending, and Governor DeWine opposes online casino legalization.

Does Manning's departure kill Ohio iGaming?

Not outright. It removes the bill's chief sponsor and committee chair, which weakens its prospects, but a new chair could revive the effort or merge it with House Bill 298. Governor DeWine's opposition remains the larger hurdle.

How much revenue could Ohio iGaming generate?

Supporters projected $400 million to $800 million in annual state revenue at maturity, which would more than double the roughly $209 million Ohio collected from sports betting in 2025.