Despite an April order from Ohio attorney general Mike DeWine mandating that all slots-like devices be removed by August 1, veterans and fraternal groups across the state have continued to set up electronic raffle machines.
DeWine has now decided to delay enforcing the ban after state Senate leaders gave him notification that they are considering legalizing the devices, but the timetable is not yet clear. Pete Thomas, head of DeWine's charitable law section said:
“We’re standing down for now, but we are not going to stand down forever."
Until the devices are legalized, however, Thomas says that local authorities are free to pursue the cases, if they wish.