On May 6th, 2008, keno cleared its final legislative problem, ensuring that the fast pace lottery game will be offered in Ohio pubs and restaurants this summer. A group of legislators voted five to two to spend a total of $17.1 million this year and $28.9 million the next year to purchase 2,000 keno terminals and other equipment for the game and pay a gaming company based in Rhode Island to manage the keno game.
The state Controlling Board was the last committee to review keno, which has been controversial since Ohio Governor Ted Strickland proposed to add keno to the Ohio Lottery to help supplement the state budget. According to Ohio Lottery Commission spokesperson Marie Kilbane said that about five hundred fifty bars and restaurants will offer keno this summer.
The officials of the Lottery Commission are hoping to launch keno in 1,000 businesses in the state on July 2008. The lottery officials said that they are hoping to offer keno in 2,000 businesses later on. The Lottery Commission said in a report passed before the Controlling Board that the game of keno would produce $292 million annually in gross profit starting in 2009, which around $73 million would be allotted as net profit.
The constitution of Ohio requires all profits from the lottery to be allotted for education. Since Governor Strickland proposed the keno idea, some Republican lawmakers have attempted to stop it by proposing other bills or amending existing bills.
Two state legislators from the Republican party-Rep. Jay Hottinger of Newark and Larry Flowers of Canal Winchester-voted against the keno proposal. The game of keno is available in 11 other states, and showcase twenty winning digits, randomly chosen from eighty numbers. Wagers usually start at $1.
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John Sullivan
