Provisions in legalized gambling

Share this article:

Here are provisions in Senate Bill 609, passed this session by the General Assembly which will expand legal gambling:

• Six new casinos authorized in Illinois, in Waukegan, Danville, Rockford, South Suburbs, Williamson County, and Chicago.

• New casinos can be land-based; existing riverboat casinos allowed to change to land-based.

• Chicago casino to be privately-owned; city can appeal to the Illinois Gaming Board if private ownership is not feasible.

• Supplier diversity requirements and minority participation goals established for new casinos.

• Slots allowed at O’Hare and Midway airports.

• Horse race tracks allowed to install slot machines and table games.

• Casino gambling position limit bumped from 1,200 to 2,000 (4,000 in a Chicago casino), each new position costing $17,500 ($30,000 for Chicago positions).

• Tax increase on video gambling machines from 30 percent to 34 percent within two years.

• Video gambling machine limit bumped up from five to six at each location (10 for truck stops that sell more than 50,000 gallons of fuel a year).

• Increased maximum bets (from $2 to $4) at video gambling terminals; progressive jackpots allowed.

• State dollars for problem gambling initiatives increased to $6.8 million from $800,000.

• Sports betting licenses available for casinos, race tracks and sports facilities that seat more than 17,000 people.

• Sports betting licenses range from $3.2 Million to $10 Million for casinos and race tracks; $10 Million for sports facilities; $20 Million for online sports better operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings.

• Online sports betting operators allowed to partner with a brick-and-mortar facility under the brand name of the facility.

• After 18 months, online operators allowed to purchase completely online license (not connected to brick-and-mortar location).

• A 15% tax rate on sports betting.

• Official professional sports leagues data can be used, but no royalties will go to the leagues.

• All betting on Illinois college sports teams banned.

• Pilot program created to test sports betting through Illinois Lottery at authorized lottery locations.

• All revenues from bill would go toward funding the vertical components of a long-term capital infrastructure plan, such as building renovations at state universities and prisons.
— Capitol News Illinois

Leave a Reply