Ohio House Speaker Pro Tempore Lou Blessing (R-Cincinnati) has announced that the Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 386, legislation that makes revisions to Ohio’s gaming-related laws pertaining to casinos, the state lottery, video lottery terminals, horse racing, and gambling.

“I’m happy that House Bill 386 passed from the House today because it makes comprehensive and necessary changes to Ohio’s gaming and casino laws,” said Blessing, who sponsored the legislation.

Specifically, House Bill 386 makes sweeping changes to Ohio’s gaming-related laws, including provisions to:

• Define “corrupt activity” for purposes of the criminal law to include certain gaming conduct and bribery crimes under the Casino Law, and increase criminal penalties for bribery under the Casino Law

• Authorize the Inspector General to investigate employees of the Attorney General’s Office who are contractually performing duties to enforce the Casino Law, and to provide support in furtherance of enforcing the Casino Law

• Clarify that skill-based amusement machines are not slot machines

• Set the state lottery prize award value that triggers certain reporting requirements at the reportable winnings amounts established by the Internal Revenue Code

• Permit racetrack operators and management companies that are licensed lottery sales agents to provide video lottery terminal promotional gaming credits to patrons for video lottery terminal gaming

• Revise and simplify the definition of a “charitable organization” that may conduct certain games of chance, and conduct and advertise bingo, instant bingo at a bingo session, and instant bingo other than at a bingo session

• Expand by two hours the time period during which a charitable organization may conduct a bingo session

• Require the director of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services to complete a study to identify the current status of gaming addiction problems within Ohio

House Bill 386 passed by a vote of 69-24 and will now be sent to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.