Many local bars will see if their business changes when a new lottery game hits the scene next month.
Starting in August, businesses will be allowed to offer Keno, a game of chance similar to bingo where players choose 15 numbers off a card of 80 numbers. Every four minutes new winning numbers are chosen, and those with the numbers circled on their card will win based on their chosen wager.
Lakeview Tavern, south of Athens on 3720 Enlow Road; Pigskin Sports Bar & Grill, 38. N. Court St.; and Red Brick Tavern, 14 N. Court St., have signed on to offer Keno, said Marie Kilbane, spokeswoman for the Ohio Lottery.
Bar owners had to apply for a license to host the game along with two different background checks and pay a bond to have the game installed, Kilbane added.
Amy Daugherty, owner of Lakeview Tavern, hopes it will bring more customers.
“My mom and her friends are excited about it,” she said. “We hope we see different people in here trying new things.”
Tim Koker, owner of The Mine in Nelsonville, hopes the game will be attractive to students, saying “it’s something new to do.”
One concern most bar owners seem to have is that they don’t know much about the game yet. The Ohio Lottery is holding an informational session today so they can learn more, Kilbane said.
The governor’s office predicts this addition to the Ohio Lottery will help ease the projected budget shortfall of $733 million, said Keith Dailey, spokesman for the governor.
The Ohio Department of Education will receive an estimated $73 million this year from Keno alone, he added.
“This will protect the increase in funding for local primary and secondary schools, which is in line with the mission of the Ohio Lottery,” Dailey said.
Some citizens are worried that the game is too close to casino-style gambling, which has been banned from Ohio. Kilbane held that there are differences between Keno and the Tic Tac Fruit game, which was banned a year ago.
Another concern is that patrons will be encouraged to stay at the bar longer, which could result in more alcohol-related accidents happening.
“We encourage our players to enjoy sensibly,” Kilbane said.
Reader Comments
While I'm generally all for letting the people do what they want, when they want to do it, as long as it doesn't hurt others... you can't make up for government shortfalls and improve the quality of life in your state by instituting gambling. You have to increase production, attract industry, and give your people jobs. This is a short-term solution that's basically just another tax on a population that can't afford things as it is.
its a tax that you can freely choose to pay or not to pay. If locals want to throw more of their money away on a high risk habit, then that is their free and legal choice. However, if they actually used their nodle and tossed that $40 a week into a high yield savings account instead of scratch off number tickets, they would have a better chance of getting that million dollar jackpot.
but like the inventor of the pacifier said "theres a sucker born every minute"
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