Ohio voters reject slots

Voters in Ohio rejected a referendum on Tuesday that would have allowed slot machines at nine sites in the state, including seven racetracks.

As of Wednesday morning, with 99 percent of the voting precincts reporting, the measure had failed by a vote of 57 percent against. Ohio voters had rejected constitutional amendments to expand gambling in the state on two previous occasions since 1990.

Backers of the referendum, which would have allowed 31,500 slot machines at the nine sites, had spent $13 million to get the issue on the ballot. The beneficiaries would have included three Thoroughbred racetracks: River Downs in Cincinnati, Thistledown in Cleveland, and Beulah Park near Columbus.