Despite criticisms from Republicans, the Ohio Lottery Commission received approval from a spending oversight committee on January 19th, 2010 for a $900,000 contract with a Georgia-based group to add a "Booster" option to the underperforming game of keno. The director of finance for the Ohio Lottery Commission, Dennis Berg, informed the state Controlling Board that the Booster option, will allow players to wager more in an attempt to improve their winning by up to ten times.
Berg said that the commission hoped that the additional feature would bring in $13 million more this fiscal year which will end on June 30th and $30 million the following year. Berg said that Scientific Games International will be paid only if the expected gaming revenue comes in.
The contract was not place out for bidding because the company possesses the Booster patent. Senator David Goodman (R-New Albany), one of the three Republicans who voted against the plan, said that he is concerned that they could not have expanded the intent and received a more competitive bid.
He added that he has a problem with permitting the Lottery Commission to take advantage of state tax payers and generate more income from Ohio residents who are probably better off keeping money in their purses.
Republicans also said that keno gaming revenue has been only a third of what was initially expected from the game.
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John M. Thorpe
