How to Register for an Online Poker Tournament Although the new regulation required the casinos to share revenue with the state, this wasn’t a problem, as recent legal gambling options, including poker, brought immense profit to these casino venues. The first brick-and-mortar casino opened in 2012, and it had a license to offer poker games and throw poker tournaments. Thanks to this amendment, four land-based casinos could be constructed in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo. Commercial gambling wasn’t legal for years until the state passed the Ohio Casino Approval and Tax Distribution Amendment 3 in 2009. Up until recently, Ohio was not at all inclined to legalize poker.