43
Ohio House OKs gambling legislation
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
The Ohio House OK’d legislation Wednesday to accommodate casino gambling, video lottery terminals at horse-racing tracks and expanded charitable bingo in the state.
Substitute House Bill 386 also includes funding to treat gambling addictions and to bolster local government coffers, as well as increasing criminal penalties to punish those who attempt to cheat casinos or bribe the managers of gaming facilities.
Proponents said the legislation is the next step in implementing the constitutional amendment approved by voters several years ago allowing casinos in Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati and Columbus.
“As tracks open up in new cities, as the casinos open up in new cities, new opportunities will be opening up in new cities,” said Rep. Kenny Yuko, a Democrat from the Cleveland area. He added, “We’ve got four great cities with great people, eager and hungry for work.”
But opponents continued to voice concern about the impact of expanded gambling, via the new casinos and state-run electronic slots at horse tracks.
“It’s just a ridiculous, nonsensical public policy we’re adopting here today,” said Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, a Republican from Napoleon. “They’re not good for Ohio.”
The final vote on HB 386 was 69-24, and the legislation heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.
Lawmakers have no scheduled voting sessions until after next month’s primary election, so further action is not expected for several weeks.
Substitute House Bill 386 includes a number of provisions related to gambling in the state, many focused on the licensing of the state’s four new casinos.
It expands the definition of corrupt activities to include cheating at casino games and increases penalties against those who attempt to bribe casino operators, managers or commission members.
It defines the casino- control commission as a law-enforcement agency, enabled to investigate potential crimes, seize evidence and arrest individuals for gaming offenses.
It states that most information submitted as part of license applications is not considered a public record. And it requires Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services agency to conduct a study on gaming-addiction problems in the state, at a cost of up to $250,000.
HB 386 also includes rules to accommodate the relocation of racetracks in Columbus and Toledo to the Youngstown and Dayton areas, respectively. And it requires money paid by tracks to relocate to be earmarked for gambling- addiction issues and redevelopment in communities that formerly housed facilities.
“This is a good bill,” said Rep. Ronald Gerberry, a Democrat from Austintown. “It’s very comprehensive. ... I strongly support this legislation and hope that members of both sides of the aisle will support the legislation.”
Rep. Lou Blessing, a Republican from Cincinnati and primary sponsor of the legislation, said the bill would help the equine industry.
“It’s important for agriculture to pass this bill,” he said. “This is about horse racing on the farms, not so much [about] people in Panama hats with money.”
But Rep. Ron Amstutz, a Republican from Wooster and longtime opponent of expanded gambling in the state, questioned the constitutionality of allowing lottery-run slots at horse tracks without voter approval.
And he also voiced concern about the impact of expanded gambling on Ohio families.
“It once again moves the state forward to actively encourage the people of our state not just in the casino area but also in the lottery area and also in the charitable area to expand and encourage a diffusion of the limited resources of the people of our state in ways that will hold back our state rather than advance it,” Amstutz said. “This is not what we should be doing as elected representatives of our people.”