Ohio House passes license-transfer bill

The Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would make it easier for racetracks to transfer their licenses to a different location in the state.

The bill, which passed by a vote of 77-17 and was sent to the Senate, would benefit Penn National Gaming Inc., which wants to move the two racetracks it owns in the state to capitalize on a decision one week ago by Gov. John Kasich to legalize slot machines at racetracks. The legislation would also allow racetrack owners to build temporary casinos at the sites of the relocated tracks.

In 2010, voters approved a referendum allowing Penn National to build casinos in Columbus and Toledo. The company then bought Beulah Park in Columbus, and Raceway Park in Toledo, and shortly thereafter, company officials said they wanted to relocate the tracks to Dayton and Youngstown.