Elyria’s Chronicle-Telegram is reporting that Lorain city council is mulling a way to enable poker tournaments at a Lorain bar/billiard lounge.
“State law only allows government facilities, veterans halls, sporting facilities and fraternal organizations to host gaming festivals for charity. Kennedy’s Billiards could only host such an event if the city leased it for a short period of time. The city would be reimbursed.”
I don’t think charity is the chief motive for the billiard lounge proprietor. As with any business, the chief motive would be to profit from this “charitable” activity. I don’t mind businesses making profits, as long as everything is above-board, but snaking through dubious legal loopholes doesn’t pass the smell test with me.
Ted Strickland, as governor of Ohio, though, has opened the Pandora’s Box, however, with his reversal on gambling expansion and his making a mockery of the Ohio Constitution with his VLT slots/lottery/racetrack scheme. We can expect more of this erosion of Ohio’s statutes as Strickland continues down his current path. As Ohio’s chief executive officer, he should be foremost in upholding the law, but, instead, he’s leading the charge to subvert the law.