A law that prevents casino employees in Ohio’s four casinos from being able to play at any of them may be amended by the legislature.
State Senator Bill Seitz, who represents Cincinnati, introduced the bill last week. It would replace a rule that has existed since the voters amended the Buckeye State’s constitution to legalize gaming in 2009. The Casino Control Law made it a misdemeanor for employees to bet, with the offense rising to a felony.
The law would allow an employee of one casino to play at any of the other three in the state—that employee would still not be able to play in the casino where he or she works.
Casinos have been operating in the state for four years, and no one has yet been prosecuted for this offense.
Seitz’s goal is to lessen the incentive by employees to collude with other employees to help someone cheat, which is, of course, only a factor with table games.
Another purpose is to bring home the employees who might be crossing into other states to play, thus robbing the state of that revenue.
Several months ago, Matthew Schuler, executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, told commissioners, “After four years of regulating and enforcing the law at Ohio’s casinos, we have not had a case of employees from different casinos working in collusion to cheat. In fact, given the systems of surveillance, segregated duties and internal controls unique to each casino operator, it would be difficult to even attempt.”
Ohio has casinos in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. It also has seven racinos, but the same law does not apply to their employees.
