Keno Newest Gambling Game from Ohio Lottery
Even as politicians hypocritically attack online gambling for its ease of access, governments are moving to increase the speed and accessibility of their state-sponsored games.
Starting August 4th, the Ohio Lottery will expand to include Keno as its newest game. Not content to allow gamblers to enter drawings a few times a week, Ohio has moved into an online casino format which will draw winners every four minutes.
Businesses have rapidly responded to the call for sales outlets; bar owners see the chance to recoup customer losses suffered due to the state smoking ban.
When playing Keno, the contestant picks a wager, typically a dollar, and then picks a group of numbers from one to eighty. The more numbers picked, up to a maximum of ten, the higher the potential payoff.
Once the betting period closes, the state computer will select twenty numbers out of the eighty; matching picked numbers against the computer selection results in winnings. Screens throughout bars and other locations display the state numbers as they are picked.
Amazingly (or perhaps not), the federal government can continue to deny the personal freedom to gamble at online casinos, but states are allowed to run mindless games like Keno, thus insuring taxes flow and governments control a monopoly.
Arkansas even went so far in its lust for Keno that the state declared the game one of skill, while poker was still viewed as a game of chance.
Sherman Bradley, chief gaming analyst at Online Casino Advisory, stated, "While I find no problem with Keno, I do wish that government would reason consistently and logically. Any problems that are cited as related to online gambling certainly would also apply to Keno. If games like this pass the muster for states to run, why not give consumers a choice and let the private sector compete?"
