Keep a tight rein on casinos

Keep a tight rein on casinos

Marietta Times: Perhaps operators of the still-new Horseshoe Casino in Cleveland were gambling state officials would not notice violations of Ohio law. Or it may be that in the hustle and bustle of dealing with crowds of customers, casino personnel simply did not pay enough attention to the rulebook.

Whatever the reason, the casino is going to pay dearly — as it should.

Members of the Ohio Casino Control Commission agreed to fine the Cleveland facility $180,000 for violating several state gambling rules. In January, the Horseshoe was fined $15,000 for another violation.

Among infractions cited recently were that the casino replaced state-approved gambling chips with quarters and that it encouraged unlicensed employees to enter restricted areas. Several other failures also were listed.

It took gambling interests several years to convince Buckeye State voters and officials to take the plunge into full-scale casino gambling. When that occurred, it was only after Ohioans had been assured repeatedly that strict rules would be established and enforced.

Casino commission members were right to come down hard on the Cleveland facility. They should adhere to the same policy in dealing with other casinos, in Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.