The Ohio Investigative Unit today announced several criminal charges against a Toledo man accusing him of operating illegal gambling machines inside city bars. Lawrence Hutton, 63, faces nine. Coinciding with the recent opening of Ohio's first legalized casinos, this book gives an in-depth look into the world of illegal gambling clubs located in Toledo, Ohio. This pictorial extravaganza presents a detailed look into the past, going back as far as the turn of the century. Illegal Gambling Clubs of Toledo is one of the most complete collections ever compiled of scarce Toledo gambling club memorabilia from an era when even a pinball machine was considered illegal gambling. Poker chips used in Illegal card rooms and casinos for gambling around the US. Some of the most famous illegal establishments were located in Hot Springs Arkansas, Galveston Texas, and Toledo Ohio. This book gives an in-depth look into the world of illegal gambling clubs openly operating in Toledo, Ohio. A pictorial extravaganza presenting a detailed look into the past, going back as far as the turn of the century.
Ohio casinos were one of the last markets in the region to be legalized; occurring in 2012. All of the neighboring states, except Kentucky, were luring gamblers to their own state casinos. Voters decided to act quickly and keep the gambling revenue and jobs at local Ohio casinos.
There was little Ohio gambling before the casinos became legal. Horse racing was legal but in decline; before the tracks were allowed to add slots. This was able to keep them in business despite lingering attendance. Tracks have live racing and race books.
Ohio has a state lottery and the charities are allowed to offer bingo.
The only form of legal online gambling in Ohio is horse racing. Apps and websites operated by companies like TwinSpires and TVG accept action from Ohio residents.
Daily fantasy sports sites accept players from Ohio. The companies claim to be skill gaming sites and not gambling. Ohio’s attorney general and state legislature have recently discusses this issue. Major daily fantasy sports sites that accept Ohio players include DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo!, and CBS Sports.
There are dozens of online casinos, poker and sports betting sites that accept Ohio players. None is licensed in the state. These sites are considered to be illegal.
There are 11 Ohio casinos operating in the state; four of them are resort-style casinos. The casinos in Ohio offer a wide variety of casino games including, slot machines, video poker, craps, roulette, blackjack and other house-banked card games. Live poker rooms are also available. The other seven Ohio casinos are considered to be racinos, located at off-track betting facilities. These resemble video lottery casinos.
Charities may spread bingo and raffles. Poker is no longer available for these nonprofit organizations.
There are eight live horse racing tracks in Ohio. These also offer off-track betting.
The Ohio Lottery sells scratch-off and lotto tickets. These are available at most convenience stores.
Ohio gambling laws have a minimum gambling age of 18 years to gamble at licensed establishments. The minimum gambling age for casinos in Ohio is 21 years to gamble. Most first gambling offenses are a first-degree misdemeanor. Subsequent offenses are fifth-degree felonies according to Ohio gambling laws.
All charities that offer bingo and raffles must pay a $200 license per year to the state. New organizations must pay $500 for the first license. This is available to religious, fraternal, rescue, and veterans organizations. Charities were once permitted to offer poker tournaments, or so they at least claimed. The last charity poker establishment was forced out of operation in 2013.
There are currently 11 Ohio casinos. Four casinos are resorts, while the other seven are Ohio racinos; located at the racetracks.
Two of the casinos in Ohio are owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties, who own all of the Hollywood Casinos around the nation. They have casinos located in Columbus and Toledo, so players in those areas can visit these two resorts and gamble. Having a casino in the heart of the Ohio capital and another populated city are great advantages.
The other two Ohio casinos are owned by one of the largest gambling corporation in the United States, Caesars Entertainment Corporation. Their Ohio casino locations are in Cincinnati and Cleveland, two of the largest cities in the state. Being backed by such a large casino conglomerate can give players the assurance that they will receive a quality gaming experience.
You can check out any of the four Ohio casinos by looking at our basic information table for directions and their website. You can also check out our Ohio casinos map and guide to get better locations.
Casino | Size | Address | Website |
---|---|---|---|
Hollywood Casino – Columbus | 2,200 Slot Machines | 200 Georgesville Rd. | www.hollywoodcolumbus.com |
Hollywood Casino – Toledo | 2,000 Slot Machines | 1968 Miami St. | www.hollywoodcasinotoledo.com |
Horseshoe Casino – Cincinnati | 2,000 Slot Machines | 1000 Broadway St. | www.caesars.com |
Horseshoe Casino – Cleveland | 1,600 Slot Machines | 100 Public Square | www.caesars.com |
There are 7 Ohio racinos within state borders. Despite being called “casinos”, they cannot offer all of the same games that the actual casinos in Ohio offer. At most, you can place bets on the horse races, as well as play on the thousands of slot machines.
Racino | Size | Address | Website |
---|---|---|---|
Belterra Park – Anderson Township | 1,300 Slot Machines | 6301 Kellogg Rd. | www.belterrapark.com |
Hard Rock Rocksino – Northfield | 2,250 Slot Machines | 10777 Northfield Rd. | www.hrrocksinonorthfieldpark.com |
Hollywood Gaming – Dayton | 1,000 Slot Machines | 777 Hollywood Blvd. | www.hollywooddaytonraceway.com |
Hollywood Gaming – Youngstown | 850 Slot Machines | 655 N. Canfield Niles Rd. | www.hollywoodmahoningvalley.com |
Miami Valley Gaming – Lebanon | 1,600 Slot Machines | 6000 OH-63 | www.miamivalleygaming.com |
Scioto Downs Racino – Columbus | 2,100 Slot Machines | 6000 S. High St. | www.sciotodowns.com |
Thistledown Racino – North Randall | 1,550 Slot Machines | 21501 Emery Rd. | www.jackentertainment.com |
Each of the racinos also offers a horse track. Off-track betting may be found at these locations.
Charities offer bingo halls throughout Ohio. These are usually in veteran’s halls and lodges. Religious and educational organizations may also spread these games. Tickets to the state lottery may be purchased at thousands of retail stores. Most are gas stations and convenience stores.
Horse racing dates back to the early 1800’s in Ohio. Tracks in Cleveland were home to quarter mile horse tracks. Harness racing hit the scene towards the mid-1800’s. These races were not regulated. The Central Trotting Circuit, also known as the Grand Circuit, was created in the 1870’s to address some of the problems at the tracks. The state decided to take over the regulation of horse racing in 1933. That is when the state legalized a state commission to oversee the races and eventually off-track racing.
It was the mid-1970’s before more forms of gambling were legalized in Ohio. That is when a state lottery was approved by voters. Charity gambling, including bingo and raffles, were also legalized at that time.
The 1990’s and 2000’s saw neighboring states approve casinos. Gamblers in Ohio were taking their action to Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. In 2009, voters approved four Ohio casinos and racinos at the tracks. On May 14, 2012, the first resort-style casino opened in Cleveland; the Horseshoe Casino. The Hollywood Casino opened two weeks later in Toledo. Racinos also launched in 2012. There are currently seven racinos and four casinos in Ohio.
The opening of these Ohio casinos caused state officials to take a second look at the gray area gambling spread in the state. Some charities, or groups masquerading as one, operated poker rooms. These were thought to be illegal but that was never enforced. By 2013, the last charity poker room was closed.
Sweepstakes machines were another form of questionably legal gambling available in Ohio. These establishments sold computer time that came with a sweepstakes function. Players would open the games on computers to see if they won. The amount of the sweepstakes value just happened to be the same as the time purchased. Opponents considered these to be slot parlors that found a back door. A May 2013 bill sought to take these machines out of service. The bill became law later that year.
The minimum Ohio gambling age is 18 years for bingo, lottery and racing. Ohio casinos require players to have a minimum gambling age of 21 years.
Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, and Columbus are home to the state’s four resort casinos.
Slots, video poker, live poker, craps, roulette, baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em are among the available games at Ohio casinos.
Ohio racinos may spread slots, video poker, and electronic table games.
Yes. It sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.
There are no forms of legalized online gambling in the state. Any online poker, casino or sports betting site is illegal.
The sites claim exemption as a skill game. Ohio officials have done nothing to refute that.
DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo! and CBS Sports are the main daily fantasy sports sites that accept Ohio players.