Slots at tracks may avoid paying for addict care

COLUMBUS -- Ohio racetracks will not have to pay for treatment for problem gamblers from their approaching slot-machine windfall under a bill heading for the Ohio House floor.

Charitable gaming operators would be able to continue later into the night as they seek to compete in a state with increasing gambling options, and newly slots-equipped racetracks will have to increase the number of days in which they operate live and simulcast horse races.

House Bill 386 attempts to walk a tightrope between regulations being written for voter-approved Las Vegas-style casinos in Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati; rules for 17,500 new slot machines to be installed in seven horse-racing tracks, and agreements negotiated by Gov. John Kasich with casino owners.

With just two negative votes, the House State Government and Elections Committee Wednesday sent the bill to the full House for an expected vote next week. Rep. Teresa Fedor (D., Toledo) was one of the two "no" votes.

"My vote today reflects the work that needs to be done yet in the area of addiction…," she said. "As it moves forward, I may be able to turn that 'no' vote into a 'yes' vote."

Most of the arguments revolved around how much, if any, of the new revenue to be generated by racetrack slots should go toward addressing an increase in gambling addictions expected with a proliferation of new betting opportunities close by.

Democrats tried twice to extend the 2 percent earmark that voters approved to come from casino wagers for problem gambling programs to the total of 17,500 slot machines expected to be installed at the tracks. Racetrack slots were not covered by the constitutional amendment voters passed in 2009 but instead began through legislative action under former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and continued under his Republican successor, Mr. Kasich, as an extension of the Ohio Lottery.

"The people voted for 2 percent,'' said Rep. Bill Patmon (D., Cleveland). "They said 'no' a number of times, but in this particular case they said 'yes'… They didn't vote for [track video lottery terminals]. They voted for casinos. We're about to give them 17,500 more slot machines. Call them what you want. That's what they are."

Democrats received help from two Republicans, Reps. Randy Gardner (R., Bowling Green) and Ron Young (R., Leroy), but that wasn't enough to put the amendment over the top.

Opponents of the amendment argued that lawmakers should wait to see what happens before adding more dollars to treatment programs.

"If the [casino] constitutional amendment had been 1 percent, I would have said fine for 1 percent for VLTs," said Rep. Lou Blessing (R., Cincinnati), the bill's sponsor. "[Problem gambling programs] are funded at $335,000 right now. They're going to go to $14 million [from the casinos]. Just give me a little bit of justification for that.

"For the last 10 years we've had casinos all around our borders," he said. "This isn't going to increase addictions much more than they are now."

The tracks do not pay any portion of their handle on races to addiction programs.

The Ohio Roundtable, a gambling opponent, has sued the state over its move to install racetrack slots as an extension of the lottery without putting it to a vote of the people.

Contact Jim Provance at: jprovance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496