Ohio Casinos Closer to Competition With Racetracks

Ohio lawmakers may not have decided how much money the state will receive from gambling profits, but they have decided that those profits will now come from the state’s horse racing tracks.

As the state looks for more ways to increase revenue, the Lottery Commission has voted unanimously to scrap a set of rules governing Governor Ted Strickland’s initial plans to add slot machines at the tracks and adapted new rules.

With the citizens initiative group LetOhioVote dropping its fight to seek a referendum to go before voters in November, the Lottery Division is moving forward with plans to permit slot machines at the racetracks as an expansion of the Lottery.

Some differences in the new set of rules allow state selected vendors to own the terminals and will prohibit anyone under the age of 21 from playing.

However the Lottery Commission is waiting for the courts approval to move forward without the referendum and to clarify exactly what their rights are.