130 (and counting) pastors and key leaders from across Ohio have signed a joint letter to Governor Mike DeWine and members of the Ohio General Assembly opposing legislation that would legalize online poker and virtual casino gambling. Coordinated by Center for Christian Virtue (CCV), this statewide coalition of pastors and ministry leaders is calling on lawmakers to reject the proposals that would dramatically expand predatory gambling and harm Ohio families, particularly the poor.

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The Ohio General Assembly is considering several proposals that would expand state-sponsored predatory gambling in the state. Among the proposals are the expansion of “iGaming” or online casinos, and Video Lottery Terminals (VLT) in bars and restaurants that look and feel like slot machines. Center for Christian Virtue strongly opposes any effort to expand predatory gambling because of how these proposals exploit low-income Ohioans and hurt families.

he Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN), a ministry of Center for Christian Virtue (CCV), announced today that five of its member schools are the inaugural recipients of the Mike and Peggy Hartshorn Dignity of Life Award. The Hartshorn Award was established in 2025 to recognize K-12 schools that have intentionally incorporated pro-life teaching into their instructional programs. The award honors Mike and Peggy Hartshorn, who have been tireless leaders in the pro-life movement for decades in Ohio and across the nation.

“A heavy hitter in Ohio's culture wars” and “the state’s premier lobbying force on Christian conservative issues” (The Columbus Dispatch, 2021), Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) is Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization.

“The Center already commands unusual influence” (The New Yorker, 2022).

“Institutions like CCV are spearheading the effort to save our children and restore morality and sanity in our schools,” said Kevin Roberts, President of The Heritage Foundation (2024).

"[CCV] played a key role in bringing about one of the most dramatic expansions of private-school vouchers in the country," and "for these coming fights, the Center for Christian Virtue is stronger than ever” (The New Yorker and ProPublica, 2025).

On this special episode of The Narrative, gambling experts Les Bernal and Dr. Jonathan Krutz, along with school administrator Mark Mousa, unpack the dangerous rise of predatory gambling in Ohio—and why Christians must take a stand