COLUMBUS (AP) - Don't bet on a crackdown this year on gambling operations known as Internet cafes.
The Ohio Senate won't act before the session ends this month on a proposal that amounts to a virtual ban on the game parlors, Senate spokeswoman Angela Meleca said today.
Senate President Tom Niehaus has told his Republican caucus that he would not bring the bill to a vote, citing a lack of time to fully vet the measure, Meleca said.
The Senate aims to finish its work for the year by Thursday.
The bill was approved by a 2-to-1 margin in House earlier this month. It would shut down nearly all of the estimated 800 sites by narrowly defining what counts as a sweepstake.