Kasich has ‘mixed feelings’ about permitting slots at racetracks

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

A spokesman says Gov. John Kasich is expected to hire soon a consultant to explore how Ohio’s gambling market could be expanded and what money that could generate.

Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols told The Plain Dealer in Cleveland that one of the first possibilities up for analysis could be allowing thousands of slot machines at seven horse-racing tracks in the state.

He says Kasich acknowledges that gambling could provide opportunities for economic development but has “mixed feelings” about it and isn’t sure it would be as beneficial as some supporters believe it would.

The horse-racing industry says allowing so-called “racinos” would help the tracks and could create new revenue. But it could mean the four casinos being developed in Ohio might lose business.

Two developers are proposing racetracks with slot machines in the Mahoning Valley.