Poker champ Lyle Berman stakes claim in Ohio casinos

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The casino developer and poker champion whose bid for an Ohio casino failed in 2008 has staked a claim to all four Ohio casinos voters approved Tuesday.

Lakes Entertainment Inc. chairman Lyle Berman cut the deal in the week before the election, says Bob Tenenbaum, a spokesman for the pro-casino Ohio Jobs & Growth Committee. It is detailed in paperwork filed Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Under the terms of the deal, Lakes agreed to fund 10 percent of the cost of the ballot initiative — which neared $35 million — in exchange for the option to fund 10 percent of each casino.

Allegations of Berman’s involvement were made by the anti-casino TruthPAC early in October. They were denied by the campaign. Tenenbaum says the deal was struck after that time.