Ohio commission reviewing state's gaming outlets

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new commission at the Ohio Statehouse is taking a closer look at all types of gaming throughout the state.

“It brings a ton of revenue in the state and it's one of these things that I feel like the legislature just doesn’t spend a lot of time talking about, doesn’t really understand it,” Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) said. “It’s a big deal, it’s very complex.”

Edwards is co-chairing the new Study Commission on The Future of Gaming in Ohio, alongside state Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville). Edwards said the study commission is not about new legislation.

“It’s really more about talking about the current products, talking about what the future holds and looking back to see if we’ve gotten anything wrong,” Edwards said.

The commission includes state legislators and representatives from the Ohio Casino Control Commission, Ohio Lottery Commission, and Ohio Horse Racing Commission.

“I’m sure we’re not going to answer every question, but we will be sort of a road map, so that if a lawmaker, whether they’re on the study commission or not on the study commission, they’ll have some insight,” Edwards said.

During the first meeting, Executive Director of the Casino Control Commission Matthew Schuler presented and highlighted responsible gambling programs, how profits are spent, and how gambling problems are measured and tracked to best mediate them.

“We require both the casinos and the sports books to identify changes in behavior of their customers that we would call ‘markers of harm,’” Schuler said.

Schuler said a “marker of harm” may be something like a sudden change in behavior. For example, someone who typically spends $20 a week begins betting up to $400 immediately.

“It might involve someone saying, ‘Hey, we’ve noticed what you’re doing and here’s information,’” Schuler said. “The problem is not all operators are doing this the same way or are using the words and actions that a trained clinician uses. What are those words? Because if you hit someone blunt, they’re probably going to walk away.”

Schuler said they are also looking at how to track an individual who is wagering over multiple operations. He said the state of New Jersey has done that, and they are talking with them about it.

Schuler said a significant part of the population does have a gambling problem and noted that sports gamblers have the highest risk of developing one. However, he said more people have gotten help for it since its legalization about one year ago.

“[The legalization] allows people to kind of come out of the shadows, seek treatment, and be able to talk about it,” Schuler said. “Because it’s hard when it’s considered an illegal activity.”

The commission plans to discuss several other current programs like lottery, charitable gaming, and sports betting. Sports betting has been legal in the state for just more than one year, so Edwards said he thinks this is “perfect timing” for the commission.

“It gives us an opportunity to see if sports gaming is working, is it not working, are there issues, what does the future hold,” he said.

The commission will not only focus on the present but also the future, for things like iLottery and iGaming.

“I think that the ball really is in the General Assembly’s court,” Schuler said.

“It’s not a matter of ‘if,’ it is going to be ‘when,’ on these iGaming and iLottery conversations,” Edwards said. “This study commission isn’t trying to push those things along; it’s really trying to be more cautious.”

Edwards said while iLottery and iGaming might serve as a “real revenue for the state,” it is also about ensuring safeguards for Ohioans and for the state.

“There’s a lot of chatter around the statehouse about iLottery, about iGaming. We’re really hoping to pump the breaks on that, let this commission do its work,” he said. “We will learn more about it, figure out the pros and cons to what other states have done.”

Edwards said when it comes to iGaming and iLottery, there are several factors to take into consideration, like the impact on brick-and-mortar establishments.

“Are you taking away from the retail establishment? A lot of people go in to buy a lottery ticket, they’re also buying soda or coffee or a candy bar, whatever. How much is that going to impact retail folks?” he said. “How much is that going to impact the retail folks that have invested in hiring people and doing business all over the state and paying taxes to the state?”

Edwards said by the end of June they plan to have a report, which he said he hopes will act as a roadmap to legislators as they move forward with new bills related to gaming.

The commission will meet again twice in March and once in April.