Slots Break Lottery Laws
4th September 2009 12:07 PM
A Lawsuit has been filed against the Ohio Lottery in a case which argues that slots break lottery laws. The Lottery have installed them at horse-racing track but now the lawsuit is set to define whether slots can be defined as a type of lottery game. The Ohio governor plans to raise $933 million over the next two years but putting slot machines, or video lottery terminals as they have been called at horse racing tracks.
On Wednesday it was argued in Ohio Supreme Court that voters should be allowed to decide the issue and challenge Governor Strickland’s plan through a referendum, although other parties argue that is shouldn’t even come to referendum but the whole idea should be voided as slot machines cannot be authorised as lottery games.
The Ohio Lottery was authorised in 1973 but slot machines were never part of that decision. Even the promise that 50% of slots profits will go into education isn’t enough to sway the opposition who have been opposing efforts to expand the lottery in the state since 1990.
The opposition argues that even with the revenue that these slots would raise for the community, it is not in the publics interest to have them due to the destructive nature of compulsive gambling. They argue that the slots and gambling in general is detrimental to families in Ohio and because of this the whole matter will now come in front of a judge to be decided in court.
Whether slot machines can be classed as lottery games is bound to be a contentious issue in Ohio for quite a while yet until this matter is settled in court.
Written by Lucy Lotto
Page Last Updated: 27/10/2009 22:16:40
