Would-be Ohio casino kingpin Dan Gilbert was confronted yesterday over his 1981 arrest for running an illegal bookmaking operation as a college student.During a Cleveland debate over state Issue 3, which would permit four casinos in Ohio cities, including two to be owned by Gilbert, a man in the audience asked Gilbert whether his 1981 arrest should disqualify him from being in the casino business.

Gilbert minimized the arrest, noting that he was an 18-year-old freshman at Michigan State University at the time and that no money changed hands. He said police dropped the case.

Gilbert’s interrogator asked what sort of crimes should disqualify someone from operating a casino in Ohio. (Issue 3 doesn’t say.)

“What crimes?” Gilbert mused. “Probably murder, rape, extortion of funds, things like that. Good question, though.”