Ohio Votes For Casinos

After attempts within the last two decades to legalize gambling casinos, voters in Ohio approved Issue 3 with 53% of the vote. Dan Gilbert who is owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers proposed "lighting up" Ohio "like Las Vegas" and is already making plans for his four casinos.

The anti-gambling coalition have responded by saying that the people of Ohio have allowed themselves to succumb to the fear of the economy and how casinos will improve it. The casinos will be built in the principal cities of Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinatti, and Toledo.  There will also be a tax rate of 33%.

Representative Lou Blessing [who is an open opponent of the casinos] has vowed to find ways to put licenses for bidding and to collect more taxes from the casinos. The opponents of the measure have declared this a "day of mourning" for Ohio. While the underwriter is from Ohio and has not lived there for a long time, he considers it a step towards progress if responsibility goes hand in hand with the casino.

The economic situation in Ohio like in many states in America are in a dire situation. It is also complicated by the situation of more taxes and decreased increase in revenue. There have been people who have left Ohio and other states to set up businesses elsewhere taking into account the restrictive economic enviornment.

The casinos [if used properly] as well as the Ohio Lottery could be used to generate profits for a state that is in need of it. It remains to be seen whether this could occur even though this is the personal opinion of the underwriter.