Legislation allowing a major expansion of gambling in Illinois failed on Monday. It’s something lawmakers have been working on for years, as an effort to raise money for state and local governments.
The plan was to open six new riverboat casinos in Chicago, parts of the suburbs, Rockford, and Danville. It also would have expanded horse racing, and was aimed at keeping small video gambling parlors from “taking over” strip malls.
At a House committee hearing, Sen. Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) pleaded with lawmakers to vote yes. He said expanding gambling would be a win-win "for everyone."
“[To] those who have a little bit of a problem, suck it up because you’re gonna still make money in this industry and you know you are,” Link retorted at the measure's opponents.
One of those opponents was Dan Clausner of the Illinois Licensed Beverage Association. He told the committee more riverboat gambling would hurt the many small businesses that offer video gambling.
“They’re just marginally making it," Clausner said of those businesses. "If we were to expand with all this gaming, the likelihood is that some of the terminal operators may have to withdraw those machines, and that might put some smaller, independent restaurants and taverns out of business.”
Other opponents called it “cannibalistic,” saying any gambling expansion would be self-defeating. The measure needed six votes to advance; it got five. But supporters could try again at any time. Its sponsor, Rep. Bob Rita (D-Blue Island), says he’ll keep working to pass it.
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