Betting
Online Gambling in the News - OH Gov. Says No to Online Casinos & PA Fines Operators
There's big news in the online gaming industry out of Ohio and Pennsylvania. OH Gov. Mike Dewine (R) weighs in on the idea of online casinos in the state and PA fines Fan Duel and Rivers Casino in new sanctions.
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Ohio "Probably Has Enough Gambling," Says Governor
For those who know Ohio's Governor, Mike DeWine (R), this next piece of news will come as no surprise. For roughly forty years, DeWine has served in public office in Ohio, starting in the state legislature, then serving as Ohio's Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Senator, Attorney General, and now two-term Governor.
During this time, DeWine has been labeled a champion of religious conservatives, building a "right-to-life" record that is second to none in the state, and upholding values related to issues like gambling.
This past Wednesday at the Ohio State Fair, while speaking with reporters, DeWine stated that Ohio "probably has enough gambling" already and showed concern for how it might affect people struggling with addictions.
According to DeWine: "...to put a casino in everybody's hands, 24/7...will cause more pain and suffering...as far as gaming addiction."
There are two bills currently in the state legislature and analysts have estimated that online casino legalization could boost state coffers by as much as $800 million per year.
However, it doesn't look too likely that will happen any time soon. DeWine's strong opposition and pledge not to sign any pro-online casino legislation in his final eighteen months in office pretty much closes the door to that.
Of course, there are some winners that come out of DeWine's opposition to state-sanctioned online casinos. First, there are the horse tracks and casinos across the state of Ohio that aren't really interested in seeing new competitors. The other winner might be the one that eventually forces Ohio's hand in the matter, the sweepstakes casinos.
Most sweepstakes casino operators do business in Ohio, as the sweepstakes laws on the books in the state are compatible with their business model.
Want to play at a US sweepstakes casino online? Here are a few of our favorites:
Key Features
- Support:
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Crown Coins Casino is one of the top-rated online sweepstakes casinos in the USA. Head over to TrustPilot if you don't believe us. Thousands of people have reviewed Crown Coins over there and their average rating from players is an amazing 4.7 out of 5 stars. We have been playing there for a long time too, and we have nothing but good things to say about them.
Why do we love Crown Coins Casino?
Crown Coins offers generous bonuses and promotions to players, both new and returning ones. It starts with a healthy first deposit bonus, but their ongoing offers, free daily login bonus, and cool mini game competitions keep players like us coming back for more. If you happen to be in Ohio, don't worry if Governor DeWine won't legalize state-sanctioned online casinos. Most sweeps casinos, including Crown Coins, accept players from Ohio and have structured their business to be legal under the State's laws.
Best of all, when you win at Crown Coins Casino, they pay fast. Our withdrawals are typically processed within 24 hours.
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#Ad. 18+. All US states, excluding Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Washington, and outlying U.S. territories and possessions. Full terms and conditions apply
Key Features
- Support:
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Another great option for players in Ohio (and most other US states) is Sportzino Casino. Sportzino is operated by the Priority Play group, one of the most professional organizations in the online sweepstakes casino industry. Their reputation is excellent, and players have lots of good things to say about them on the popular third-party review sites. Even better, Sportzino is one of the rare sweepstakes casinos that also offer a full sportsbook for your enjoyment too.
Why do we love Sportzino Casino?
For starters, we really like when casinos have low withdrawal minimums and pay winners quickly. Sportzino Casino excels in both regards. Also, the Sportzino Casino is packed with slot games, and they are always adding new ones to the mix. If you look around enough, you will probably find copycat slots of all your favorite land-based casino games, except with one huge difference. The theoretical RTP (return-to-player) percentage is much higher in the online games offered at sweeps casinos, compared to the nonsensical 85%-93% offered by most land-based casinos.
Pros
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#Ad. 18+. Full terms and conditions apply. For USA players, excluding states of Washington, Idaho, Georgia, and Michigan.
Key Features
- Support:
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Another great option for online casino players across the US is McLuck Casino. They are owned and operated by B2 Services, one of the industry leaders in the sweepstakes casino world. A quick trip over to TrustPilot will confirm all the great stuff we say about McLuck Casino; players have rated them highly for their entire existence to date.
Why do we love McLuck Casino?
To be honest, McLuck is one of our favorite sweeps casinos of them all. Everything starts with a generous signup bonus, but McLuck Casino does a good job of keeping their coin store fresh with new offers daily for existing players. They also run a lot of great promotions and tournaments, plus they are one of the few online sweeps casinos that have a real, solid VIP program that rewards loyalty. Advancing through the different levels earns "level up" rewards, and the top tier gets you a whopping $2500 of sweeps coins as a welcome bonus to the tier. That's freaking awesome!
Pros
Cons
#Ad. 18+. ALL US EXCEPT: - Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Washington and West Virginia. Full terms and conditions apply
Pennsylvania's Gaming Control Board Fines FanDuel and Rivers Casino
As the result of investigations conducted by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), both FanDuel and Rivers Casino Philadelphia have been fined for regulatory violations.
FanDuel Gets $40,000 Fine for Employee Licensing Violations
FanDuel has been ordered, and they have agreed to pay, a $40,000 fine for violating regulations related to employee licensing.
According to the investigation, three FanDuel employees, without being properly licensed to do so, accessed customer account info and/or made adjustments to the players' accounts.
Rivers Casino Philadelphia Nailed for $30,000 Due to Underage Gambling
Two different incidents from 2023 and 2024 have resulted in new fines for Rivers Casino Philadelphia totaling $30,000. Both violations were related to underage gambling on site.
In one case, a 19 year old female was playing slot machines without being required to show identification upon entry. She was only discovered to be doing so when she foolishly attempted to register for a player's club card.
Steve Lapinski specializes in just about everything related to slot machines and casino games, both online and in land-based casinos in the USA. With over 25 years experience in the online gaming industry and nearly 40 years as a recreational gambler, the breadth of his knowledge on these topics is matched by few. Steve is passionate about casinos, and he takes great pride in sharing his knowledge of the subject with his readers.
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