News and Updates

News and Updates
Arrow International News Section
Helping Vets

Helping veterans through gaming

Local veterans and their families are giving back to veterans’ nonprofits and organizations through something called electronic charitable gaming, e-pull tabs and e-bingo machines that are mostly played in veterans’ halls.

Electronic charitable gaming was legalized in Ohio in 2022, allowing players the chance to win some cash while also giving back to charity.

There are electronic charitable gaming machines in many veterans’ halls across Columbus, including at American Legion Post 144 in south Columbus.

Arrow Manufacturing Article

“We have the raffle machines and we also have tickets, the peel tickets,” said Rick Garren, the finance officer for Post 144. “It has vouchers that’ll come out for cash.” It’s a game of chance: players put in a few dollars and can potentially win big.

“Members love them, they do,” Garren said. “Those machines saved a lot of posts from going down.” A percentage of the proceeds from the machines goes toward charities of the halls’ choice. Recently, Post 144 gave $5,000 to the Ohio-based nonprofit Save A Warrior, which is dedicated to suicide prevention among veterans.


“We’re a great mission for these locations that have charitable gaming,” Save A Warrior’s Development Director Suzette Heller said. “What better way to support, what better way to spend your charitable gaming monies than to helping veterans get their lives back?” The organization has veterans, or warriors, go through a 72-hour-long intervention to get to the root of their PTSD and suicidal thoughts. Then there is a 500-day plan to get them back on their feet.

Heller said money from electronic charitable gaming has helped Save A Warrior treat thousands. “The veterans service organizations that support us here and the fraternal organizations that have this charitable gaming, they’re so important to us,” Heller said. “They’re invested in us and they’re our partners and we love them.”


Many of the machines in Ohio VFWs and American Legion Posts are made by Arrow International, which was founded by an Ohio veteran. Arrow Chief Operating Officer John Gallagher said knowing that nonprofits like Save A Warrior are being helped through their games is what keeps the company going. “Our products raise over $1.5 billion each year on behalf of local nonprofit organizations and we’re proud to partner with veterans’ organizations,” Gallagher said. If you don’t belong to a local veterans’ hall but are interested in trying out electronic charitable gaming, you can also find the machines in some bars and restaurants around Columbus.

NBCi4
By Delaney Ruth
November 11, 2024
Responsible Gaming Section

Responsible Gaming

Arrow understands the potential risks that are associated with all forms of gaming. We believe that charitable gaming has proven to be a low-stakes, fun, and communal experience for all participants.