There are currently several legal gaming options available for Ohio visitors and residents. The state provides a wide range of gambling choices, including slots, casino gambling, and mobile and retail sports betting.
Regardless of the legal options, the state continues to battle unlawful gambling, both online and through illegal betting sites. In a recent operation against illegal gaming, the state’s gambling regulator, working with police enforcement, raided three companies and seized roughly 200 slot machines.
Two People Arrested on Suspicion of Illegal Gambling
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The operation was carried out by Columbus Police officers, who were assisted by gaming agents from the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC). According to the Columbus Dispatch, OCCC investigators and law enforcement authorities issued search warrants at various companies after receiving reports about illicit gambling.
Offering gaming services without a license, whether online or at a physical location, violates the state’s gambling statutes. As a result, raids were conducted at Blackjack Skill Game at 4434 Crossroads Center, 777 at the 4800 block of West Broad Street, and Winners Arcade! at 3439 E. Broad St. in Columbus. The raids resulted in the seizure of 184 slots. In addition, the OCCC and law enforcement agents seized cash but did not reveal the amount.
The most recent operation against illegal gaming resulted in the arrest of two individuals. It is unknown what charges, if any, the two face or whether they were involved in the illegal gaming enterprise. No evidence suggests that the three companies colluded. It remains to be seen whether further persons will be detained on suspicion of involvement in illegal gambling companies.
Operating a Gambling House Is a Serious Offense
Operating a gambling establishment is classified as a first-degree misdemeanor under Ohio law. This applies only if the individual has not previously been convicted of a gambling-related offense. However, if the individual in question has a past gambling-related conviction, they will face a fifth-degree felony charge.
In Ohio, operating a gambling house is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in prison and a $1,000 fine on the first offense. Subsequent crimes as a fifth-degree felony can result in a 12-month jail sentence and a $2,500 fine.