| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEDIA RELEASE For Immediate Release: October 13, 2011 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
Columbus City Council Targets Adult Gaming Parlors
(Columbus)--The Columbus City Council is announcing a 180 day moratorium on the opening of new adult gaming parlors, an unregulated form of gaming that has crept into numerous Columbus neighborhoods because of a loophole in state gaming laws. The businesses allow customers to play a slot-machine-like device in return for a prize or item of value. City Councilmembers say the moratorium is necessary because of the lack of state guidelines to protect neighborhoods and legal quagmire facing Ohio cities because of that failure.
“These businesses are taking advantage of the state’s failure to regulate adult gaming parlors to prey upon our residents,” said Councilmember Zach M. Klein, chair of the Development Committee, who was joined by Councilmember Michelle M. Mills at the announcement in front of a former gaming parlor in the Mount Vernon Plaza. “The moratorium will protect neighborhoods from new adult gaming parlors while the state considers uniform laws, like those provided for other types of gaming in Ohio.”
The legislation Council will soon consider will instruct the Director of Building and Zoning Services to impose a moratorium on the acceptance or approval of any application for any permit needed for location where an internet sweepstakes device is proposed.
“This is clearly not the economic development that community leaders are searching for when they talk about revitalizing our neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Mills, chair of the Safety and Judiciary Committee. “We need to make sure that businesses are helping to promote strong and safe neighborhoods, not operations that take advantage of a gaming loophole and operate with little or no state regulation.”
Councilmembers hope the moratorium will give state leaders and the courts the time to better define the laws and license requirements of this portion of the gaming industry. Councilmembers will also work with the City Attorney and the Administration to craft local regulations if the state fails to act.
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