On July 5th, 2008, more than one thousand different businesses in the state of Ohio have applied to the state to have the opportunity to offer keno to their customers. The Ohio Lottery has already approved seventy percent of the application by businesses that possess liquor license. Other applicants for the keno game include fraternal and veterans group and takeout restaurants. The game will start next month.
Despite the delay, the Lottery Commission still hopes to earn its target of $73 million in new profits by next July 2009. Governor Ted Strickland proposed the game as a way to plug the $733 million budget deficit for next year. The Raceway Park in Toledo saw the immense success of Club Keno which is just across the border of the state of Michigan and wanted to offer the game because according to John McNamara, the harness racing track's customer service and marketing division said that they are hoping that keno will help them attract more customers.
All of Ohio's seven racing tracks as well as the state's lone off track wagering parlor, Cedar Downs in Sandusky have applied for a keno license. In order to play keno, players pick between 1 and ten numbers out of 80 digits and win prizes based on how many numbers that they will get from the numbers that the RNG will pop out. The Ohio Lottery's deputy director of sales management, Dan Metelsky commented that they knew from the keno successes in Michigan, New York and Maryland on what businesses should they grant a keno license so residents should rest assured that they will do everything to make the game successful.
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John Sullivan
