TLDR
- Ohio officials seized 63 illegal slot machines and cash from a Greenfield business.
- The raid followed complaints about unlicensed gambling machines at the venue.
- The commission says it has confiscated more than 8,800 unlawful devices so far.
- Kalshi, Polymarket, and Robinhood have received cease-and-desist notices from Ohio.
- A federal court ruled Kalshi must follow Ohio law, and the company is challenging it.
Ohio regulators and local police have seized 63 illegal slot machines from a business in Greenfield. The Ohio Casino Control Commission worked with the Highland County Sheriff’s Office on the operation.
The business is located on State Route 753. Authorities have not released the name of the venue.
The business had already been under investigation for illegal gambling. The probe began after officials received complaints about unlicensed gambling machines inside the venue.
Authorities obtained a search warrant before officers raided the property. Police took the 63 machines along with an undisclosed amount of money.
Regulator Warns of Risks From Unlicensed Gambling
Andromeda Morrison is the interim executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission. She said the regulator would keep working with law enforcement to fight illegal gambling.
Morrison said unlicensed gambling operations carry serious risks. She said they can harm communities, weaken public safety, and hurt the lives of Ohio residents.
In a statement, Morrison said the commission’s work with police would go on.
“We will continue collaborating with our law enforcement partners to uphold the integrity of gaming in Ohio and protect residents from the risks associated with unlawful activity,” she said.
Gambling in Ohio is strictly regulated. It is only allowed at the state’s 11 commercial gaming properties.
These include four full-scale land-based casinos and seven racinos. The racinos offer lottery terminals, live horse racing, and sports betting, but no traditional table games.
People who organize illegal gambling in Ohio can face first-degree misdemeanor charges. These charges can lead to jail time and large fines.
Ohio Targets Illegal Machines and Prediction Markets
The Greenfield raid follows earlier actions against illegal gambling venues. In October, the commission worked with the Findlay Police Department to seize more than two dozen illegal gambling machines.
Those machines were taken from Shamrock Skill, a video arcade in the 1000 block of Tiffin Ave. The commission says it has confiscated more than 8,800 unlawful devices so far.
Illegal machines are not the only issue facing state regulators. The commission has sent cease-and-desist notices to several prediction market companies, including Kalshi, Polymarket, and Robinhood.
Governor Mike DeWine said the state would pursue enforcement, not just warnings. He said these companies offered sports-related bets without state licenses.
Prediction markets are especially contentious in Ohio because the state has strict rules on sports betting. For example, bets on specific plays within a game are not allowed.
Sports-related prediction contracts often focus on those kinds of in-game events. This puts many of them in conflict with Ohio’s betting rules.
A federal court recently ruled that Kalshi must follow Ohio law. The company has challenged the decision, arguing that only the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) can regulate its activities.
