Ohio Lawmakers Approve Bill to Reinforce State Regulations for Online Gambling in Internet Cafes

In the wake of the online gambling scandal that rocked the state of Florida earlier this week, the House of Representatives in Ohio passed a bill aimed at limiting gambling operations in Ohio’s Internet cafes. The state recognizes the business of running Internet cafes as legal for as long as such establishments operate within the regulations imposed by both local and state laws. However, the alarming rate by which around 800 Internet cafes mushroomed throughout Ohio has always been a cause for concern among the local law enforcement officers. The recent Florida Internet café scandals raised the awareness of Ohio’s House of Representatives that the proliferation of such establishments, denotes that there is more to these cyber cafes than what meets the eyes.

Last Wednesday, Ohio’s lawmakers passed a bill that limits the amount of payouts, which customers will receive from online gambling to only $10. That way, playing video slot games remains as a form of recreational diversion and not as a means to make more money. Customers buy both Internet time and prepaid cards that have equivalent points, which players use when placing bets on video slot machines. The more points used, means more bets placed on the slot machine’s numerous winning lines. Now if a player will win up to a max amount of $10 only, he or she will think twice before squandering more than $10 worth of points in each game session.

Perhaps other U.S. states that allow the operation of Internet cafes should follow suit as a way to maintain responsible gaming among players, as well as prevent the proliferation of predatory Internet gaming sites.