A coalition of bowling alleys, bars and other businesses that sell lottery games, and mayors is pushing back and rejecting any plan to allow Ohio’s four casinos to control sports gambling in the state. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports this comes as a proposal on sports gambling is set to come out of the Senate soon.
The group calling itself the Ohio Fair Gaming Coalition says sports gambling should be regulated by the Ohio Lottery Commission, with betting allowed through lottery terminals such as Keno machines. David Corey with the Bowling Centers Association of Ohio says small businesses have been left out as table games and slot machines at casinos and horseracing and video slots at racinos raked in a record $1.9 billion statewide in 2019.
“The big boys don’t want us to ever have a piece of the pie, let alone the very, very small piece that we are suggesting today.”
Casinos have testified that nearly all sports betting will likely be done on mobile devices. But Corey says his group, which includes businesses badly hurt in the pandemic, wants a share of that 5% that are expected will gamble in person.
No bills passed last session as lawmakers couldn’t agree on whether the Casino Control Commission or the lottery would regulate sports gambling.
