Take Action on these Gambling Bills!

Take Action:  The following bills passed in the Illinois House and will be voted on in the Illinois Senate.  Please call your State Senator (Click here to view a list of State Senators) or call (217) 782-2000 and ask him/her to VOTE NO on the following bills:

HB 1570 (Lang) – Legalizes video gambling machines in OTB parlors (there are currently 26 parlors, but an additional 11 more parlors can be authorized.   OTB revenue has decreased over the years.  Adding the machines will hurt horse racing and increase addiction as more people gamble on the machines in neighborhood restaurants).  Click here to see how your Representative voted.

HB 2311 – Legalizes video gambling in Social Clubs (The Gaming Board ruled in January that certain applications did not fit the definition of fraternal organizations and were private clubs.  Several bills were introduced to allow video gambling at social clubs.  The language has now been changed to allow video gambling at all retail liquor establishments, whether the establishment operates on a non-profit or for profit basis.   Click here to see how your Representative voted.

HB 2520 – Allows the use of vouchers instead of cash in video gambling machines.   People will gamble faster and lose more money.  Instead of cashing out their winnings, they can put the voucher back into the machine and gamble it all away!  Click here to see how your Representative voted.

HB 996 (Lang) – The bill triples the number of charitable game events a company can manage or operate per year and increases the number of charitable game events that be held in one premise from 8-12.  The bill doubles the amount of a single bet and removes the bet limit for game such as poker.   Currently the Charitable Games Act prohibits slot machines at charitable game events.  This bill would allow establishments with video gambling machines (bingo halls, veteran organizations, fraternal organizations) to operate video gambling terminals along with the games, and turn the events into full blown casinos once a month!  Click here to see how your Representative voted.

HB 1140 (Lang) –  Legalizes electronic raffle machines at bars, which would be under local control, not regulated by the Gaming Board, and could be ripe for corruption.  This could bring in “grey machines” from out of state companies or from companies that were denied a video gambling license.  Note:  In Bolingbrook and Channahon people can bet $2 every few seconds on touch-screen, bingo-like games at sports bars.  Every play is a raffle.  It’s a 24-number electronic raffle game.   (Herald-News, Mar. 2, 2012) How your Representative voted:  Click here to see how your Representative voted.

Take Action:  The following bills passed in the Illinois Senate and will be voted on in the Illinois House.  Please call your State Representative (Click here to view a list of State Representatives) or call (217) 782-2000 and ask him/her to VOTE NO on the following bills:

SB 1738 (Link) – Prohibits the Gaming Board from releasing information about individuals establishments.  Currently monthly reports are issued and put on the IGB website showing the amount of money gambled, won, and lost (Net Profit) at each video gambling establishment.  Click here for a link to the Illinois Gaming Board’s website.  The bill also legalizes video gambling at Off Track Betting Parlors, allows vouchers to be used instead of cash, and allows the company that built and maintains the central communications system (Scientific Games, Inc.) for video gambling to be licensed as a video gaming manufacturer.  Click here to see how your Senator voted.

SB 70 – Exemption to the video gambling act to allow an establishment to be located closer than 100 feet from a school or church.   This opens the door and will be the first of many exemptions to come before the Legislature every year!  How your Senator voted.  Click here to see how your Senator voted.

SB 2234 – Use of Vouchers instead of cash in video gambling machines in neighborhood establishments. People will gamble faster and lose more money.  Instead of cashing out their winnings, they can put the voucher back into the machine and gamble it all away!  Click here to see how your Senator voted.

SB 2371 – Expands video gambling for Social Clubs, non-profit, and for profit retail liquor establishments.  The Gaming Board ruled in January that certain applications did not fit the definition of fraternal organizations and were private clubs.  Click here to see how your Senator voted.

SB 1739 – Massive expansion for 11 more casinos-city-owned casino in Chicago, Rockford, Danville, Lake County, South Suburbs, 6 racetracks, 2 Chicago Airports; Advanced Deposit Wagering (Internet wagering on horses).  Click here to see how your Senator voted.