In an article in today’s Columbus Dispatch (June 20, 2007), Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted called for legislation to ban so-called “games of skill,” reiterating his opinion that “…just because a game is 51% skill does not make it a game of skill…” and also that the move to re-label the games is merely a backdoor incremental approach to legalize the devices. Governor Ted Strickland and Attorney General Mark Dann have called for limiting payouts but Husted isn’t swayed by the arguments for this. He says limiting payouts will not limit losses, which is the bottom line for the gambling device manufacturers, distributors and operators who rely on the long odds for their considerable profit margins.
We can only speculate what effect this will have on attempts to expand gambling through Video Lottery Terminals (VLT’s) modified to show archived horse races that are represented in HB 118 and SB 125, currently before the Ohio Legislature.
We applaud Speaker Husted’s stand on principle. Thank you, sir!
Come back for updates. Tell us what you think with a comment.
the bible says very little about gambling. furthermore, once a soul:
1. pays their tithes
2. offers a love offering
3. pays their bills
4. puts back some for a rainy day
5. saves an inheritance for their kids
they have met all the requirments in the bible for handling their money.
what they do with the rest, even if the cast lots, is their business.
Prov 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
Joab
Hello Joab,
Welcome to the Institute’s website and thank you for taking the time to post.
We’re not convinced that “Once a soul…they have met all of the requirements in the bible for handling their money” is true. Please expand on this with affirmative biblical citings, if you would. We think a case can be made that these things are a minimum requirement for good stewardship of God’s provision but that they are certainly not the only requirements.
We would also dispute that the casting of lots mentioned in Prov. 16:33 (and many other places) has anything to do with gambling, but has to do with discerning the will of God on a specific question, a common and sanctioned biblical practice (see references to the urim and thummim in the Old Testament). The reference is thus, eisegetical in this context.
The Policy Institute has posted a position paper on gambling that answers a number of points that you have made. Let us know what you think about the points made there. Thanks for posting.