BestCraps.com

Ohio Legislators Have Until June 3 To Agree On Casino Rules

Posted on May 18th, 2010

News Sponsored by Online Vegas Casino

Rated 5 Stars by BestCraps.com

Read Review

Visit Casino

Download Software

————————————————

The Ohio Senate filed a bill Monday that would provide the rules for the operation of the four Ohio casinos in the cities of Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo under a constitutional amendment approved by Ohio voters last November. Specific rules are needed to guide and regulate the gambling industry and in order for the state to be able to start collecting tax revenues.

The Republican-dominated Senate will have to work things out and settle disagreements with the Democrat-dominated House in order to decide the rules before the deadline on June 3. The Senate bill was introduced by Sen. Keith Faber, R-Celina and co- authored by Sen. David Goodman R-Columbus and Sen. Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond.

The bill provides for the creation of a seven-member commission to be appointed by the governor whose job is to keep watch over the casino operations, conduct investigations and penalize violators. The bill also calls for an up-front license fee for each casino to be $50 million, and the license renewable every three years. Under the bill, the casinos are not to serve complimentary drinks, and alcohol may be sold and served only until 2:30 a.m. which is also as provided by current law. The bill charges $25,000 for liquor license.

Convicted felons are also barred by the bill from being hired for at least ten years from conviction, and any hiring of law offenders should first be approved by the commission.The bill also limits the legal gambling age to 21. It says that persons under 21 years old are not allowed to enter the facility, unless they are employed by the casino, but whose jobs should not be related to gambling. Under the bill, casino inspectors will have the right of unrestricted entry to casinos and the authority to confiscate facility’s equipment for inspection.

Complimentary drinks are not allowed in any of the casinos while liquor serving hours will not be changed by this bill.
The House will file its own version of the bill Tuesday, according to Keary McCarthy, the spokesman for House Speaker Armond Budish. McCarthy said the Speaker’s staff has no idea about the Senate’s version of the bill, but they are hoping that both bills are more or less connected. Both houses must agree on and approve only one bill, which would then be ratified into law by the governor.