Most Ohio sweepstakes parlors shuttered

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

Gov. John Kasich signed an executive order late Friday immediately implementing rules that likely will lead to the shuttering of most sweepstakes parlors in the state.

The emergency measure allowed Attorney General Mike DeWine to establish new registration requirements signed into law by the governor earlier this year but that have not yet gone through the normal rules-making process.

The move likely will force existing sweepstakes parlors that have not yet closed shop to change their businesses to bring them in line with the new state law or cease operations in the state.

House Bill 7 prohibits cash payouts, limits prize types and values and institutes more stringent registration and monthly reporting requirements.

Owners of the businesses launched a petition effort, with hopes of persuading voters to overturn the law changes, but that effort fell short of the number of signatures required to qualify for the ballot and was abandoned.

DeWine subsequently sent letters to sweepstakes parlors informing them of the law changes and to local law enforcement offering his office’s assistance to ensure the businesses were compliant.