Ohio Authorities Play Whack-a-Mole With Illegal Casinos Operating in Plain Sight
Credit: EEJCC/Wikimedia Commons
Ohio authorities are increasingly zeroing in on illegal casinos operating in plain sight in strip malls. Some are branding themselves as skill-gaming establishments, and others are full of traditional slots. Authorities say they are all illegal.
A couple of recent stories hitting the media have highlighted this trend.
Most recently, the Star Beacon in Ashtabula (eastern Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border) reported that law enforcement raided three alleged illegal casinos in the county. Samantha Zingale Byrnes, director of legislative and public affairs for the Ohio Casino Control Commission, said law enforcement confiscated 112 machines total in the raids.
“They are all illegal gambling casino sites,” she said.
Prior to that, authorities in Sidney, a western Ohio town, busted The Lucky Spot. It openly advertised “skilled games.” Operators seized roughly 40 illegal machines.
It’s worth noting both the breadth and the scale of these operations. These alleged illegal gambling hubs, while differing slightly in specific offerings, share some similar characteristics. They seem to be packing a relatively large number of machines into a relatively small space, and they seem to pop up mostly in strip malls in out-of-the-way towns.
The proliferation of these establishments is a fascinating subplot in Ohio’s ongoing struggle with gambling, both illegal and otherwise.
Small ‘Casinos’ Operate Brazenly in Ohio Strip Malls
Consider the locations and characteristics of some of the establishments targeted by Ohio law enforcement in these operations.
A couple of them are in Ashtabula, a town of about 18,000. Google satellite images of one of the locations show a small, nondescript brick building with no signage. It looks like it could have once housed a dentist or a small law practice.
Nearby Saybrook Township, where another operation was dismantled, is even smaller, with about 10,000 people. Andover is even tinier, with fewer than 1,000 residents.
Photos of similar nearby establishments — which still seem operational, per Google Maps — show small but robust gaming floors. The walls are lined with slot machines, including popular titles like Dragon Link and Aristocrat’s buffalo-themed series. The clear modus operandi for these illegal casinos is to pack around 40 slots into a small building and collect as much money as possible until someone takes notice and decides to shut it down.
In the Andover case, grumbling residents on Facebook discussed the closure of the local illegal casino. One of the comments hints at the game of whack-a-mole being played:
“They open them and then they close them, that’s been going on for years … they are taking all the machines out of bars and clubs, sad how what little fun we have they take away probably cuz they want a piece of the action.”
It’s a similar story to what’s been happening in Florida. Law enforcement there continues to close down illegal casinos loaded with slots. One closes down, others open, and the chase continues. The establishments can rake in thousands of dollars in profits, making the perceived risk worth the reward, especially when misdemeanor charges are generally the only looming threat.
Florida tried advancing legislation to increase penalties. However, those efforts stalled out.
Ohio Appears Serious About Restricting Gambling
Restricting gambling has been a theme recently in Ohio, as the state attempts to rein in an industry that some lawmakers now see as out of control.
Ohio authorities have had illegal casinos and gambling halls on their radar for at least the past 15 years, since now-Gov. Mike DeWine served as attorney general. DeWine’s office released a notice in 2011 outlining its approach to various gambling-adjacent businesses.
Skill-based machines are mentioned, indicating that particular loophole is not a new phenomenon. DeWine’s office noted that such machines can only award prizes not to “exceed $10 wholesale value per play.”
While nearby Pennsylvania has grappled with the legality of skill-based machines for years, DeWine’s office put its proverbial foot down early, calling them nothing more than illegal slots by another name.
Even in the legal gambling realm, Ohio is considering options to restrict the industry. Lawmakers are working to advance legislation that would kneecap the online sports betting industry.
The state can’t very well do that sort of thing while allowing these slot parlors to operate in plain sight. Therefore, it’s paramount both for optics and for consistency that law enforcement works with the gaming commission to stamp out such establishments. The recent raids show that Ohio is serious about putting in the work on that front. But efforts will have to continue, because these small strip mall casinos appear far from extinct.
Image credit: EEJCC/Wikimedia Commons (license)
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