Tagged: Casinos

Gov. John Kasich's budget proposal suggests that revenue from Ohio's four voter-approved casinos could be about half of what officials had predicted years ago.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that state officials estimated four years ago that the casinos could take in as much as $1.9 billion a year after all were in operation.

But Kasich's budget proposal issued Tuesday projects that gross casino revenue will be $957.7 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1. It could rise to just over $1 billion in the following fiscal year.

The state says Ohio schools are getting nearly $38 million in the first chunk of casino-tax revenue.

This is the first distribution to schools since casinos opened last year. The money is distributed on a per-pupil basis twice per year to more than 1,000 school districts and charter schools across Ohio. It works out to $20.93 for each of the roughly 1.8 million students.

The breakdown was announced Tuesday but the Ohio Department of Taxation. Schools receive 34 percent of the revenue, with 51 percent going to county government.