Ohio Not Stopping At Casino Gambling, Slots At Tracks May Be Near

The state of Ohio may be moving a lot quicker than anyone expected into the casino gambling industry. First, voters approved four new casinos for the state, and now Governor Ted Strickland is once again talking about slot expansion at Ohio racetracks.

In the past year, the gambling industry in Ohio has gone from somewhat non-existent, to possibly a major provider of jobs and revenue. The four casinos, one each in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo, are expected to generate thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state.

On Sunday, Governor Strickland told a group of horsemen that he will sign legislation to allow for video lottery terminals at racetracks as soon as the legal issues are cleared up. In 2009, Strickland approved of the slots, but the issue has been held up in court since that time.

Several groups do not want to see the slots at racetracks and LetOhioVote,org was a major contributor to the delay. When the court proceedings are complete, Strickland hopes to help the struggling racing industry i the state.

"We still need to clarify the issue," said Strickland, as reported by The Plain Dealer. "When I have the authority under current law, I'll move forward with (VLT's)." There is still a chance the group protesting the slots could drop their referendum request.

In the past decade, Ohio voters have had several opportunities to legalize casinos, but had turned them away each time, until last November. A well organized campaign paid off when Ohio residents gave approval to four casinos. Cleveland Cavaliers owner Daniel Gilbert will own two of the casinos, and Penn National Gaming holds the rights to the other two.

Ohio's horse racing industry has struggled much like the industry has in other states. Kentucky lawmakers have continuously turned down the option of adding slots at their tracks, but several other states have expanded their gambling options to help the financially strapped tracks.

June 7, 2010
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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