Ohio lawmakers appear to be ready to push through a bill to deal with internet cafes in the state before the end of the year.
Ohio lawmakers appear to be ready to push through a bill to deal with internet cafes in the state before the end of the year.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and other state officials have been pushing for the General Assembly to act to either more tightly regulate the businesses or shut them down completely.
"Quite frankly this is an unregulated unlicensed business," said Ohio Fraternal Order of Police President Jay McDonald.
His organization sent a letter to top lawmakers and statewide officeholders asking them to take action on internet cafes. McDonald says they're a problem all over the state, but there isn't a whole lot of consistency from courts.
"In some jurisdictions judges have ruled them to be legal and in some jurisdictions judges have ruled them to be illegal. We think there needs to be a statewide solution," McDonald.
Not only are the businesses unregulated, but McDonald believes they're tied to other crimes.
A bill introduced last week by State Rep. Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican, would essentially ban internet cafes by changing the legal definition of sweepstakes. It joins another bill already in the House State Government Committee. It's likely that the bills will be combined. Lawmakers have until Dec. 31 to pass something before the session ends.
The state says there are currently 819 internet cafes operating in Ohio.
