Ohio Lottery may become ‘quasi-public’

The Ohio Lottery should become a “quasi-public” corporation to operate more efficiently, avoid unnecessary government regulation and expand into online gaming.

US.- According to a study commissioned by the Kasich administration, the Ohio Lottery should become a “quasi-public” corporation to operate more efficiently, avoid unnecessary government regulation and expand into online gaming.

The study by Spectrum Gaming Group, a New Jersey research and professional services group, was commissioned by the state last year at a cost of US$601,600, according to documents from the Department of Administrative Services.

Spectrum does not recommend turning the lottery private, but it does conclude that the current structure, which operates out of the governor’s office, is inefficient, slow to react to market conditions and subject to too much “control and oversight” by the several state agencies and state lawmakers.

The report also recommends allowing video poker and electronic table games at seven racinos at horse race tracks, possible expansion into online gaming, expanding instant games and beefing up the assistance programme for problem gambling.

However, Danielle Frizzi-Babb, lottery spokeswoman, cautioned that the report is still in draft form and is not final. “There’s some fact-checking to be done and some modifications to be made,” she said. “We are reviewing the the recommendations with our staff and the board.”

When the study was commissioned a year ago, state officials said they had no plans to privatise the Ohio Lottery Commission. They said state law would have to be changed to allow privatisation.