How the poll was conducted
The Dayton Daily News and seven other daily Ohio newspapers commissioned this poll to determine voter opinions surrounding the gambling issue. A second poll will be published in late October. The poll was done in conjunction with the Ohio Poll run by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati. The institute interviewed 713 registered voters from Sept. 16-22. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percent.
Sheila Perry says it’s no mystery why the Dayton Daily News/Ohio Newspaper Poll shows a majority of Ohio voters now favor casino gambling.
“It’s the economy,” the 42-year-old New Carlisle resident said. “People think that some jobs will come to Ohio, and we need them. I say give it a try.”
Ohio voters have turned down four gambling proposals since 1990, but for now at least the gaming tables seem to be turning.
Duane Shope, 61, of Dayton says he doesn’t gamble, especially since losing work as a union carpenter 10 months ago. But if legalizing gambling means more jobs, he’s all for it.
“It’s not a moral issue, it’s an economic issue,” he said. “There’s gambling going on all around us (in other states), and Ohio has a lottery already.”
Shope said he is more concerned that casino owners will bring in workers from outside the state to build and operate their facilities.
For 28-year-old Treveon Coats of Trotwood, the issue is not just about jobs. It’s about Ohioans having to drive to other states to gamble. “I’m going to Indiana probably two or three times a month, sometimes more,” he said.
Elizabeth Highley of Gratis said she’s not surprised that many Ohioans have changed their minds about casinos, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for the state to do. “I think there are better ways to bring money into the state,” she said.
Highley said she knows “individuals who are addicted” to gambling and fears the presence of casinos won’t help them.
But, said Coats, “People will do what they want to do anyway.”
Shope said gambling addicts already are traveling to states like Indiana to feed their habit. “The only way to stop it is to educate them in the problems of gambling,” he said.
Denise Dean, 44, of Dayton said Ohioans should have the choice to gamble. “We’re all grown-ups,” she said. “I have an appetite for shopping and (buying) shoes. Some people have an appetite for tobacco or drinking.
“Society puts words on things like addiction, but it’s a matter of self-control.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2437 or jdebrosse@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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