Family advocates are disappointed that Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has gone back on his word and will allow keno parlors in the state.
David Miller, vice president for public policy at Citizens for Community Values, said Strickland spoke out against gambling just last fall when he signed an anti-gambling bill into law.
Now Strickland has made a unilateral decision.
“It’s strange that he’s using an executive branch agency to do this, without very much accountability," Miller said. “It appears it’s a done deal, and we’re going to have to take these types of expansion without any kind of vote.”
Miller said things could have turned out differently if Ohio had more legislators taking a stand against gambling.
Chad Hills, analyst for gambling research and policy at Focus on the Family Action, said legislators need to be questioned: “Do you support gambling? Do you support the lottery? Do you support tribal gambling? Do you support the expansion of commercial gambling?"
