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State Develops Alternative To Video Lottery Games

The Ohio Lottery says it has developed a video-style game alternative to illegal electronic raffles offered by veterans and fraternal posts. It will allow players to watch the game unfold on a video screen. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.

1,200 so-called “next generation machines” will go out to those groups using raffle machines the Attorney General has ruled illegal. Danielle Frizzi Babb with the Ohio Lottery says the governor’s office approached her agency.
“They said they wanted us to come up with a viable option for the veterans’ and fraternal organizations. And the multi-purpose next generation is the solution.”

The Ohio Veterans and Fraternal Charitable Coalition wanted legislation to resolve this. Bill Seagraves says the machines raised $5.5 million dollars in the last two years, and that he feels blindsided.
“I wished they had talked to us about it before they did it, so we could have at least had some input rather than just drop it on us.”

Frizzi Babb says it’s hard to predict revenues from the new machines, but says after they’re paid off, each is expected to net $50 per day, with 85% going to the charitable group and 15% to the lottery profits education fund.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
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