Advanced Forum Search -- Advanced Casino Search

Steubenville Planners Could Limit Gambling
Message was posted: 09:35 Sep 14th, 2006

User: Big Ben Rank: Casino Gold: 2505CG Contributor rating: 5200 Status: Offline

Gambling news from http://www.theintelligencer.net/ STEUBENVILLE — In West Virginia, they’re called limited video lottery terminals. In Ohio, it’s called “skilled gaming.” Either way, city planners in Steubenville are looking to limit the proliferation of the machines. City planning and zoning commission members this week reviewed and discussed a possible amendment to the zoning code to contain “amusement arcades" — which would contain machines very similar to the gambling machines at bars in West Virginia — within the city. “Under the current zoning code, which regulates land use, it allowed" skilled gaming in the central business district, community commercial districts and regional commercial districts, said urban projects Director Chris Petrossi. The proposed amendment will “only allow (the skilled games) in the B-1” or central business district. City council last month adopted a temporary ban on skilled amusement devices, and that ban will remain in effect until Dec. 31. Petrossi said banning the games in the city permanently would be “impossible because skill-based gaming is legal in Ohio. Because it’s legal, the city can regulate it, but cannot prohibit it. We have to provide reasonable regulations for that type of activity. The purpose of the ban was to give opportunity to revise the zoning code.î City Manager Bruce Williams said during a special committee meeting in August the type of devices the city is trying to control are adult arcade games. The games “supposedly use skill to win prizes. When you shake down all the garbage, it’s essentially gambling,î Williams said. A public hearing is scheduled Nov. 6 to discuss the amendment.