When Predatory Gambling failed to pave the streets the streets with gold, bring prosperity and economic development, the solution in Illinois is 'expansion' just as it will be in Massachusetts.
Illinois Senate Delays Vote To Expand Casino Gaming
Thursday, March 7, 2013
By Dan Howell
The Illinois Senate is delaying a vote on another attempt to expand casino gambling.
Officials expected a vote as early as Thursday, but after a closed-door meeting Democrats put it off.
A spokesperson for the Senate President said supporters will continue discussions in efforts to get it passed.
A committee approved a plan yesterday to add five new casinos and put the tax revenue toward education.
http://www.kwqc.com/story/21549365/illinois-senate-delays-vote-to-expand-casino-gaming
Senate committee OKs gambling expansion, 5 new casinos
By Doug Finke
Posted Mar 06, 2013
A new gambling expansion plan that calls for five new casinos and slot machines at Chicago airports won approval Thursday in the Illinois Senate Executive Committee.
By a 10-4 vote, the committee endorsed the latest expansion plan just days after Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed an expansion bill he called excessive and lacking in ethical standards.
The bill authorizes slot machines at horse racing tracks, but not at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
However the bill does stipulate the fairgrounds will get $5 million annually from gambling proceeds to help pay for maintenance.
New casinos would be located in Chicago, Rockford, Danville, Lake County and the south Chicago suburbs. The bill also authorizes iGaming, electronic gambling on the internet. The state already sells lottery tickets on the internet.
Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, said
Senate Bill 1739 reduces the number of gaming positions authorized in previous expansion bills. He also said the bill bans political contributions from gaming licensees, something Quinn said was essential to win his support for gaming expansion.
Additional gaming revenues would be split between education and pensions. About $317 million that could be collected from initial expansion fees would be dedicated to paying down old bills.
Some committee members complained the bill was being rushed through.
“I don’t understand why we are in this big of a hurry to do this,” said Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, who has supported expansion in the past.
Tom Swoik of the Illinois Casino Gambling Association said existing casinos have seen revenues fall significantly in the last five years and adding so many gaming positions would aggravate the problem.
“We’re not against expansion. We’d like to see responsible expansion,” Swoik said. “The saturation point is getting very, very near.”
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