Solon Prosecutor: Electronic Gaming Machines at VFW Are Illegal

VFW Post 1863 can't have four new electronic gaming machines at their hall because the machines in question are illegal.

That forced the on Tuesday to deny a request for the machines.

The VFW had three "amusement devices" at their hall on Melbury Avenue, but wanted an additional four "electronic raffle machines" described by city officials as essentially bingo machines. The post actually had already acquired three of the machines without planning commission approval.

City Prosecutor Lon Stolarsky explored the issue and determined that the machines are illegal because they are basically slot machines. He consulted with the Ohio Attorney General's office and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office as well.

With that determination, planning officials said they just couldn't approve the machines.

"We are not really opposed to any additional legal amusement devices at that facility," said William Mazur, a planning commission member. "We cannot approve something that has been determined by our prosecutor and the Ohio Attorney General that is illegal."

The VFW did not have any representatives at Tuesday's meeting, so the commission planned to send a letter to the VFW asking them to withdraw their request since they could not approve it.

Stolarsky did say that there may be movement in the state to change the law so these machines would not be illegal.