Austintown trustees discuss gambling addiction program

AUSTINTOWN — Township officials talked about gambling addiction tonight as the Sept. 17 opening of Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course approaches.

“Remembering that the racino is coming here because it is a profit organization ... but they’re also an employer. But like anything else, whether it’s eating too much or buying things too much or gambling too much, we always have a percentage of people that overdo themselves,” Trustee Ken Carano said. “It doesn’t benefit Austintown or the racino or anyone else.”

A proclamation, signed by trustees July 28 and presented to Penn National’s Hollywood Casino Toledo location Friday, was part of “Responsible Gaming Week 2014.” Penn National’s slogan for this year’s event was “Ensure Responsible Gaming with Safe Bets.”

“We want the racino to be successful,” Carano said, “and we want it to be around for a long, long time, but we don’t want it to be a problem for people. ...

“Mahoning County is a gambling area. Anyone that tells us that we didn’t have gambling and shouldn’t have gambling in the state of Ohio isn’t from Ohio.”

The proclamation said that officials from the racino and the township “urge citizens to call the Problem Gambling Help Line at 800-589-9966 if problem gambling is suspected with themselves or someone they know.”

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com