House Democrats In Ohio Leave Gambling Out Of Budget

The casino gambling debate in Ohio has heated up in the past year just like it has in other states. Lawmakers in Ohio, however, are not assuming that expanded casino gambling is in the future of the state.

House Democrats revised Governor Ted Strickland's budget proposal and in their Bill there is no allotment for casino funds. Lottery run slot machines at state horse racing tracks was left out of the budget, according to Keary McCarthy, a spokesman for House Speaker Armond Budish.

It is not that Budish is against the gambling expansion. Actually, it is the opposite, Budish is open to any expansion, but does not believe that it would happen in time to affect the budget the House is proposing.

"It seems to me that we're missing a golden opportunity to come up with several hundred million dollars to provide real reforms," said Republican Senator Bill Seitz from Cincinnati.

Strickland also has no problem with the gambling expansion, but he has stated that he will veto any attempts to legalize additional slot machines without voter approval. Voters in Ohio have turned down several attempts in the past decade to expand gambling in the state.

Now that the House has decided not to put the gambling funds into the budget, several lawmakers have downgraded the odds of having a stand alone Bill passed. Had the money been accounted for, it may have been easier to get the law passed.

April 21, 2009
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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