Tickets went on sale Thursday to kick off the next round of Queen of Hearts.
But then the game became "temporarily paused" later that day as Grayton Road Tavern awaits an answer from either the Attorney General's office or a court to tell them whether or not they can continue the game, the bar announced in a press release Thursday night.
According to a letter from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office to Attorney General Mike DeWine, there are concerns that the Queen of Hearts game does not follow gambling rules, because the winner only receives 90 percent of the pot. In order for Queen of Hearts to be a true game of risk, there has to be an end to the game, meaning part of the winnings — the remaining ten percent — cannot be used to start a new game.
Grayton Road Tavern said anyone who purchased a ticket will be contacted using the information on the back on their ticket for a full refund.
James Page, the owner of Grayton Road Tavern, issued the following statement as part of the announcement:
We apologize for the inconvenience. It is our hope that the Attorney General’s office, or the court system will make a fair and ethical decision, not only for our game, but for all of the Queen of Hearts games that are currently being held throughout the great State of Ohio.
