Ohio House, Senate pass rival casino rules

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio’s House and Senate agree that the state’s new casinos should not give away free drinks, allow smoking or let anyone under 21 inside to gamble.

But the two chambers will have to work out other differences in the casino rules they approved in separate votes Wednesday.

The House, which is controlled by Democrats, wants the casinos’ $200 million in state license fees to go toward urban worker training programs.

The Republican-led Senate bill does not have that provision but, unlike the House measure, it would allow the casinos to extend lines of credit to patrons of no more than $500.

The Legislature faces a June 3 deadline to adopt rules for the voter-approved casinos planned for Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo.