Ohio Casinos To Hit Mich., Ind. Gambling Taxes

DAVID N. GOODMAN

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ohio voters have approved the opening of casinos in Toledo and three other cities, leaving officials and gambling interests in neighboring Indiana and Michigan worried that millions of dollars in gambling revenues — and taxes — are at risk.

Indiana's casinos pay more than $900 million in state and local taxes annually. A report released last month by the Indiana Legislative Services Agency predicted the competition from Ohio would lead to the state losing more than $100 million of that slice of the gambling pie.

Any loss of casino tax revenue would also hurt Detroit and Michigan, which already face towering budget deficits. The state took a $121 million share of the Detroit casinos' $1.36 billion in revenues last year.

On Tuesday, Ohio voters approved a ballot issue to allow one casino each in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo.

"We're cautiously optimistic there's going to be a bit of an impact but not a profound impact," Richard Kalm, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. He said Detroit's casinos get most of their business from people within 50 miles and are "not as much of a destination market as, say, Las Vegas or Atlantic City."