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LWV League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Smart Voter
State of Ohio November 4, 2008 Election
Issue 6
Petition for a casino near Wilmington
State of Ohio
Ammendment - Majority Approval Required

Fail: 2,088,294 / 37.63% Yes votes ...... 3,461,430 / 62.37% No votes

See Also: Index of all Issues
Information shown below: Summary | Yes/No Meaning | Arguments |

To adopt Section 6a to Article XV of the Ohio Constitution This proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution would:
1. Authorize one privately owned casino with a required minimum initial investment of $600 million dollars on a 94-acre site located near the northwest corner of State Route 73 and Interstate 71 in southwest Ohio in Chester Township near Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio.
2. Require the casino to pay a tax of up to 30% on its gross receipts for gaming less payouts. The taxes are to be used first to pay expenses of regulating and collecting taxes from the casino, then for funding of gambling prevention and treatment programs, and the remainder to be distributed in the amount of 10% to Clinton County and 90% to the remaining counties based on population and to be used at each county's discretion.
3. Reduce the tax paid by the casino authorized by this amendment to the lesser of the rate taxed on another casino or 25%, in the event another casino is permitted in Ohio in the future.
4. Require that the casino be subject to all other applicable types of taxes that are currently in effect in Ohio.
5. Authorize the casino to conduct any game permitted in the State of Nevada, or any state adjacent to Ohio, including any type of card or table games, slot machines, and electronic gaming devices, except bets on races or sporting events. Only persons age 21 and over would be permitted to place bets. Amounts of bets would not be subject to any limits now or in the future. Days and hours of operation would not be subject to limits.
6. Set aside the application to the casino of all local and state laws and any constitutional provisions that would prohibit the operation of this privately owned casino, including any local zoning law that would prohibit or place restrictions on a casino from operating on the property in question. If approved, this proposed amendment shall take effect 30 days after the election.

Summary Prepared by League of Women Voters Ohio:
This amendment would authorize a privately owned casino in Clinton County. The operator would be required to pay a tax of up to 30% annually on gross casino receipts. "Gross casino receipts" excludes payments to winners. The tax would be allocated in the following ways: o The Ohio General Assembly would have the authority to determine a reasonable amount to be used to fund a Gaming Regulatory Commission, and receipts will be used to pay the expenses of administering the tax. o Up to 1% of the tax collected would be used to fund prevention and treatment programs for gambling addicts. o Following those expenditures, 10% percent of any remaining casino tax receipts would be distributed to Clinton County, and the remaining receipts distributed among all 88 Ohio counties on a per capita basis, to be used as each county sees fit. o If another casino were permitted in Ohio, the tax on the Clinton County casino would drop to 25% of the gross casino receipts or the rate paid by the additional casino, whichever is less. o The casino operator must make a minimum initial investment of $600 million for the development of a destination resort that would include the casino, a hotel and other related amenities. o The state may establish an initial license fee not to exceed $15 million, which will be credited against the first $15 million of taxes on gross casino receipts. There can be no further licensing fees for the Clinton County casino. o The state may not limit the amounts of the wagers or the hours of operation. The casino may conduct any type of card or table games, slot machines or electronic gaming devices permitted by the state of Nevada and states adjacent to Ohio, except bets on races or sporting events. o Persons must be 21 years old to place wagers at the casino.

Meaning of Voting Yes/No
A YES vote on this measure means:
you approve of amending the Ohio Constitution to permit one casino near Wilmington in southwest Ohio.

A NO vote on this measure means:
you disapprove of amending the Ohio Constitution to permit one casino near Wilmington in southwest Ohio.

   Official Information

Secretary of State

News and Analysis

WCET-TV Channel 48 (Cincinnati)

WKRC-TV Channel 12 (Cincinnati) Google News Search General Links

My Ohio Now
In support of the proposed amendment

Vote No Casinos
In opposition to the proposed amendment
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Arguments For Issue 6 Arguments Against Issue 6
1. Thirty-eight states--including Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania--have casino gambling. By authorizing a casino in Ohio, the profits could benefit our state rather than other states.
2. All counties in Ohio may receive tax revenue generated by the casino, and each county can decide how to best spend its money
3. The casino will also be required to pay all other applicable taxes.
4. The casino will create jobs in Clinton County.
5. The casino will stimulate the economy by adding restaurants, hotels and ancillary businesses.

1. The Ohio general revenue fund, which supports basic services for Ohioans, will get $0 from the gross casino receipts tax.
2. If an additional casino were an Indian casino, which is exempt from taxes, the Clinton County casino might not pay any taxes, either, on the gross casino receipts.
3. Ohioans may spend money at the casino they would have spent at other existing Ohio businesses such as restaurants, movies, or sports events, adversely impacting those businesses.
4. Ohio lottery profits, currently dedicated to education, may decrease because people will gamble at the casino instead of playing the lottery.
5. The number of gambling addicts in Ohio would increase, and the tax receipts dedicated to providing treatment for addicts (0.3% of gross casino receipts) could be insufficient.

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