OHIO VALLEY — With three casinos currently open in the State of Ohio, and a fourth to open later this year, revenue from the casino revenue tax will continue to come to Meigs and Gallia counties.

Quarterly payments from the revenue at the casinos is made on Jan. 31, April 30, July 31, and Oct. 31 to local governments.

School Districts will also benefit beginning later this month when semi-annual payments begin.

To date two payments have been received on July 31 and Oct. 31 of this year.

Funds from the casino tax goes to therespective county general fund for both Meigs and Gallia counties, and is not required to be earmarked for any specific purpose by the state.

Meigs County received $61,926.96 ($20,670.44 in July and $41,256.52 in October) in payments in 2012.

Gallia County received $80,991.47 ($27,033.93 in July and $53,957.54 in October) in payments in 2012.

The first two payments have been figured on tax revenue from just two of the casinos.

Casinos in both Cleveland and Toledo opened in May 2012, with the third casino opening in October in Cleveland.

The fourth casino to be in Cincinnati will open in the spring of 2013.

Payments to school districts in Ohio will be made on a semi-annual basis beginning on Jan. 31, 2013. The second payment will be on July 31. Payments were not made to school districts in 2012.

Collected revenues accumulate in the Ohio Casino Tax Revenue Fund are placed into seven different funds. Fifty-one percent goes into the Gross Casino Revenue County Fund; thirty-four percent into the Gross Casino Revenue County Student Fund; five-percent into the Gross Casino Revenue Host City Fund; three-percent into the Casino Control Commission Fund; three-percent into the Ohio State Racing Commission Fund; two-percent into the Law Enforcement Training Fund; and two-percent into the Problem Casino Gambling and Addictions Fund.

Distribution amounts from the county fund are determined by population of the county.

The Casino Tax Revenue is a result of the constitutional amendment passed in 2009 which allowed for the four casinos to be placed in Ohio.

According to the Ohio Department of Taxation website, the Ohio Casino Control Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating casino operators, their employees, and gaming-related vendors. The Ohio Department of Taxation is responsible for administering the gross casino revenue tax and for ensuring compliance with all pertinent state tax laws, as well as administrative rules and policies as they apply to other taxes administered by the Department of Taxation.

The gross casino revenue tax is imposed on licensed casino operators at the rate of 33 percent. “Gross casino revenue” is the total amount of money exchanged for tokens, chips, and tickets at a casino facility, less any winnings paid out to wagerers.

The operators of each casino facility are required to file daily returns with the Department and to remit payments for the related tax liabilities every day that banks are open for business. Each return reflects casino gaming activity over a 24-hour period.

The tax revenue collected from the gross casino revenue tax is split among seven funds benefiting the counties and certain large cities, school districts, host cities, the Casino Control Commission, the Ohio State Racing Commission, law enforcement training, and problem gambling and addictions. Distributions to localities occur on a quarterly basis, except for school districts, which will receive their distributions semi-annually beginning in January 2013.