Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Casinos nitpick potential windfall

Posted in:

Illinois

State senators on Tuesday are scheduled to talk about whether Illinois should allow sports gambling if the federal law banning it is ever lifted.

The proposal comes from Democratic state Sen. Napoleon Harris, a former NFL linebacker from Harvey. It would allow Illinois casinos to take wagers on amateur, professional and college sports and manage an internet platform for taking bets, provided the online service is limited to state residents. […]

Tom Swoik, a lobbyist with the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, said the organization supports allowing sports betting to make up for business lost to video gambling in bars and restaurants. But he said the tax rates in the existing state proposal are too high.

“If the taxes and these fees that are paid to operate sports books are so high, then the payouts can’t be as high as sometimes what’s being paid out in illegal betting,” Swoik said. “People are still going to continue to do the illegal betting because they can get a higher payout.”

So… we as a state are gonna help the state’s handful of casinos? How about allowing local taverns and restaurants to install sports betting kiosks?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:18 am

Comments

We already allow lottery sales on the internet. Why doesn’t the State just make the book and keep all the profits?

Comment by Pieroge tirebiter Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:24 am
How about, instead, finally saving the horse race industry (if it’s still possible) by allowing sports betting at tracks. It works. Sports betting appeals to the same analytical mindset as race betting. The purpose is not to benefit rich track owners, but to save the livelihoods of backstretch workers and others affiliated with racing.

Comment by Southside Markie Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:24 am
How long till Lou Lang holds a presser in support of this ?

Comment by Texas Red Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:25 am
So they have time to talk about this but still can’t fix the pension, deficit, debt, crumbling roads and infrastructure, and on and on and on. This is why so many have no respect for “lawmakers” in Illinois.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:28 am
===So they have time to talk about this but still can’t fix the ===

Those problems don’t get fixed without money.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:33 am
I always hate the arguement that the State should do something now just in case the feds do something else in the future. Seems like a waste of time to me and is just a distraction from focusing on real problems that could be fixed now.

Comment by Not It Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:40 am
They need to learn from ComEd, take the windfall and come back for more next year.

Comment by Blocked so far today Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:56 am
I agree that we should allow sports betting at the racetracks. There are lots of jobs in the once proud Illinois racing industry that could be saved, and more created if sports betting were installed at the current racetracks. The similar move of allowing table games and slots at racetracks in our border states have revived the racing industry in those states. Think of all the tax revenue that could be generated from making gambling legal at the tracks

Comment by Big Joe Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:00 am
I would think OTB’s would also be perfect locations for sports betting. Those places are set up like Vegas sports books already.

Comment by Sox Fan Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:05 am
Not It, the federal prohibition on sports betting in all states but four was argued in the Supreme Court in December, and a decision is anticipated this spring. So its not that the state should act now, but should be prepared to act pretty soon.

Comment by Juice Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:05 am
The google says a 1992 federales law prohibiting sports books grandfathered Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon. Only Nevada and Delaware actually have them.

Hard to see how that’s Constitutional. But I’m sure the Nevada and Delaware books have appreciated their monopoly.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:20 am
I’ve had a 5dimes acct for 5 years. This is taking way too long for the states to get on board. Just make it internet based; no need to go indoors anywhere otherwise I’ll continue to use 5dimes.

Comment by Jose Abreu's last homer Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:28 am
(I’m aware the states can’t act until the Feds decide. Been waiting for the Supreme to rule on this. Thought it would happen last month.)

Comment by Jose Abreu's last homer Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:30 am
–no need to go indoors anywhere –

Those LV books are a blast on NFL Sundays, with all the games going on huge screens. Put real people to work, too, at the cages and on the food and beverage side.

I hear the first round of March Madness is even better.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:33 am
Someone offered some thoughts on how to do it back in December.

http://htsblog.blogspot.com/2017/12/sports-betting-in-illinois.html

An additional video gaming position that took sports bets with limits. Let the casinos do it with higher limits and/or require a machine operator to partner with the casino.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:38 am
how much of this has to do w the coming scotus ruling…

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-sports-gambling-supreme-court-20171204-story.html

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:50 am
Put it everywhere. Casino’s just want the monopoly. Have machine’s in the taverns where people watch the games. I shouldn’t have to pay a cover charge at a casino to go bet on the Bears Packers game.

Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 11:06 am
–Have machine’s in the taverns where people watch the games. I shouldn’t have to pay a cover charge at a casino to go bet on the Bears Packers game.–

Visit the right taverns and you can get hooked up with someone who’ll take your action toot-sweet. After awhile, you can even get credit.

Just make sure you can square up on Tuesdays after the Monday night game. Otherwise, it gets expensive and not so much entertaining as scary.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 11:43 am
House always wins. No need to assist the casinos any further

Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:28 pm