Gambling News by Gambling Headquarters

A plan to allow slot machines in Ohio and competing bans on smoking in public dominated statewide ballot questions on Tuesday. Another statewide issue asked voters to raise the minimum wage by $1.70 to $6.85 an hour. The gambling proposal, state Issue 3, would place up to 31,000 slot machines at Ohio's seven horse-racing tracks and two free-standing parlors in downtown Cleveland. A portion of the revenue would go to eligible public school students attending in-state colleges and universities. It was the third proposal since 1990 to expand gambling in Ohio, where only the lottery and games for charity such as bingo are state-sanctioned. State Issue 5 would ban smoking in most public buildings, while Issue 4 would exempt places including bars, bowling alleys, bingo halls and racetracks. Except Issue 5, the proposals would amend the Ohio Constitution. If voters pass both smoking issues, the less restrictive one would prevail because it would be an amendment instead of a change in state law. Issue 4 also would eliminate 21 local smoking bans.