Wellington Eagles Make Case for Charitable Gaming

One of the most important factors in Ohio House Bill 325, the bill that would clarify electronic charitable gaming in Ohio, is what these machines mean to the veterans and fraternal organizations that use them.  In fact, many proponents of HB 325 claim that shutting down the machines will only serve to shut the doors at the posts and locations for good.

One location that could be affected in such a way is the Wellington Eagles Club.  The club, which has six OVFCC machines, fears that without their continued use their club and others will be in “dire straits”, according to the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.  While the club was recently raided by the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, a successfully filed temporary restraining order has returned the machines to the club, which has raised over $50,000 for charities since 2011.

HB325 seeks to clarify current law, but former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Andy Douglas maintains that the machines were seized in error, as they should be considered legal in Ohio under the revised code:

Douglas, attorney for fraternal and veterans organizations including the Wellington Eagles, said the machines are also different from those at Internet cafes because they issue tickets to the game player, and the tickets are placed into a pool. Douglas contends that Wellington Eagles gaming terminals are legal under Ohio Revised Code 2915.092, which regulates raffles conducted by charitable organizations.

By definition, Wellington Eagles is considered a charitable organization because it donates more than half of its proceeds to charity, he said.

Hopefully, with the passage of HB 325, clubs like the Wellington Eagles won’t have to win court battles to continue their generous charity efforts.