OHIO Veterans rally to keep more gambling revenue

The groups say they might have to shut down.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Veterans rallied Tuesday in support of a bill to let them use more of the money they raise through charitable gambling for expenses.
"We're going broke for the first time in 50 years," said Karl Conrad, 55, a Vietnam-era vet from the American Legion Post 11 in Lancaster.
Conrad said his post can't keep up with repairs without using more of the revenue from instant bingo tickets.
A year-old state law says veterans and fraternal groups must donate half their take from instant bingo cards and other gambling to federally recognized charities.
Those groups say the requirement could force them to shut down, since the new law greatly increased what they must give to charity and cut into the money they relied on for upkeep.
They support a House-passed bill that would allow the groups to recover more expenses. The bill is stalled in the Senate over just how much more they should be able to keep.
Concerns about bill
Senate leaders and Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro on Tuesday said they are concerned that it might violate the constitution's requirement that gambling proceeds be used "for charitable purposes."
"There can be an argument made that it violates the constitution because of constitutional standards that require the proceeds of this gambling really go to charity," Petro said.
Senate President Doug White said he also is concerned about provisions allowing children under 18 to play instant bingo, permitting more "Las Vegas" nights at fraternal organizations that would include bingo-style games such as black jack and language that could lead to the storefront bingo parlors banned last year.
White, a Manchester Republican, said he wants to help the fraternal groups but could hold the bill until fall.
"We want to work very hard on this," White said. "If it doesn't get done in May, we're going to come back in September, if needed.
"I absolutely cannot allow some of these things to go forth in Ohio."