News

Ohio veterans posts set to go to court over gambling kiosks

The Ohio Lottery Commission is expected to install 700 new gambling kiosks in September. The self-service machines will be placed in 200 veterans' posts and fraternal lodges.

August 28, 2014

The Ohio Lottery Commission is expected to install 700 new gambling kiosks in September, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

The self-service machines will be placed in 200 veterans' posts and fraternal lodges. The organizations will also be using existing, older gambling machines despite last year's ruling marking them illegal. The Ohio Veterans and Fraternal Charitable Coalition filed suit in response to the ruling, and a resulting court order mandated the machines remain open for use. Coalition Executive Director Bill Seagraves said the kiosks have raised $9.4 million for associated organizations. 

"We don’t have any objections to their machines," Seagraves said in the article. "We just want to be able to keep ours."

"The case is pending," the article said.

The state has most of its 60-percent share from expected lottery profits marked for education funding. The rest will go to area posts and lodges.

"This kind of prize payout sends more back to the player, and overall it generates more play on the (new machines)," Ohio Lottery Director Dennis Berg said in the article. "In turn, this will help veteran and fraternal organizations generate more money for their charities and their own internal operations, all within the confines of the law."