COLUMBUS — Craps, Texas hold ‘em poker and other casino games run by churches and nonprofit groups during festivals and Las Vegas nights would be illegal if Ohio voters approve a Nov. 3 ballot issue legalizing up to 20,000 slot machines at four casinos in Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland.

That’s according to opponents including church groups, Rep. Louis Blessing Jr., and attorneys for TruthPAC, a casino opposition group financed in part by horse tracks.

Casino opponents say because the proposed constitutional amendment expressly allows bingo, lottery games and horse-race betting, any other form of gambling in Ohio would automatically be banned if Ohio voters approve Issue 3.

“The language is set in stone,” Blessing told the Enquirer.

Former Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken, as chairman of the Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan — which proposes four casinos in four Ohio cities, including Cincinnati’s Broadway Commons — disputes that interpretation.

Luken said the wording will not restrict charitable gambling, including church festivals.

“I just wanted to make sure that you understand that our initiative in no way affects current charitable gaming.” Luken said. “It was drafted not to affect charitable gaming that currently goes on at churches.”

However, neither Luken, nor Penn National Gaming, the lead casino developer, could provide a legal explanation why church festivals or Las Vegas nights are not listed in the proposed Issue 3 amendment.

“Once the voters realize this shuts down church festivals, Penn can kiss their amendment goodbye,” said Blessing, a Colerain Township Republican.

Jim Tobin, associate director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, agrees with Blessing’s interpretation: the Nov. 3 constitutional amendment would ban gambling at church festivals and at so-called Las Vegas nights. “It’s another reason why this is not a good proposal,” Tobin said Tuesday.

“How stupid are these guys, in their greed, to take a shot at the same people that might want to come to casinos?” Tobin said, referring to people who might enjoy charitable gambling at church festivals.

The wording that will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot is a concise, simple summary of the full constitutional amendment; the full amendment, to be added to the state constitution, is nearly six pages long.

Casino opponents have until Aug. 28 to file legal challenges against the proposed constitutional amendment in the Ohio Supreme Court.

Tom Smith, public policy director with the Ohio Council of Churches, said he also thinks that the proposed casino issue, as written, would ban all forms of gambling by churches and charitable foundations — except for bingo.

The last paragraph of the proposed six-page constitutional amendment states that lotteries and bingo would not be limited by passage of the casino issue. Opponents say that phrase, as well as other language in the amendment, automatically excludes other types of charitable gambling. Most observers believe that casino developers did not intend to ban gambling by churches and nonprofit groups.

Luken said his group might file a complaint against any opponent making a false statement about the ballot language.