State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) has sponsored SB 3144, a bill to double the number of video gambling machines at truck stops. This would legalize up to 10 video slot machines at truck stops.
SB 3144 was called for a vote last week, but fell 3 votes short of passing. The bill has been put on “postpone consideration,” which means it can come up for another vote in the near future.
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- SB 3144 opens the door for further expansion, with social clubs and bars also asking for more machines.
- The sponsor said they want out of state truckers to be able to gamble when they stop. Long-haul truck drivers need to sleep between runs. Gamblers tend to lose track of time and gamble longer than they planned. Truck drivers, who gamble for long hours and are sleep deprived pose a danger to other drivers traveling on the many Interstate highways through Illinois.
- Gambling addicts drive like drunk drivers. Doubling the number of machines at truck stops will increase the number of people who are gambling and will impact public safety.
- Truck stops already have an advantage in that LOCAL people and truck drivers can gamble ALL NIGHT on the video gambling machines that operate non-stop, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Gamblers are losing millions of dollars in video gambling machines at truck stops in Illinois. The sponsor predicted the State could get an additional $6 to $7 million a year in revenue which means that Illinois residents and truckers would have to LOSE $24 – $28 Million more a year! The cost is too high.
