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Gaming Board botches yet another rollout

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Illinois

* The Gaming Board badly botched the rollout of video poker. And now…

Developers and mayors vying for the chance to break ground on new casinos — including two in Chicago’s suburbs — will have to wait at least another six months to find out if they’re holding a winning hand.

Illinois Gaming Board administrator Marcus Fruchter blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for pushing back his agency’s timeline for handing out the first round of casino licenses as part of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s massive statewide gambling expansion.

“Like all government agencies and private businesses, the board’s work has been impacted by COVID-19,” Fruchter said at a special Gaming Board meeting held virtually Thursday. “This is not an excuse or a crutch. It is simply a recognition of the realities that work and life are different in a global pandemic.” […]

Under state law, the Gaming Board was required to issue new licenses within a year or else give a written explanation for the holdup.

This isn’t like cannabis where the government was dealing with a brand new industry and was flooded with applications. They have zero excuses.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 11:40 am

Comments

How exactly did COVID impact the board’s ability to administer its program? Were staff being paid and working from home? Were in-person meetings required that couldn’t occur for some reason? Pritzker’s track record - cannabis, IDES, gaming, and many other agencies - indicate his administrative skills are sorely lacking.

Comment by phocion Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 11:47 am
Delaware North has to be livid. I wonder if they would have kept Jumer’s and rolled out a sportsbook and mobile app or partnered with an existing sportsbook if they knew the gaming board would be this incompetent.

Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 11:51 am
== This is not an excuse or a crutch. ==

It’s exactly an excuse or a crutch.

Comment by Southside Markie Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 11:51 am
The gaming board has had over a year to vet and go through what 8 license? Yes they should be thorough and we don’t want mistakes but another six months? this is completely unacceptable especially now when a lot of these Municipalities are starving for cash or any type of economic boost.

Comment by Les Nessman Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:06 pm
Hard to believe anyone could be as incompetent as this bunch.

Comment by Collinsville Kevin Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:08 pm
Its a lot harder to set up the necessary offshore accounts with travel restrictions in place

Comment by Ok Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:08 pm
Illinois government augers in and creates a crater and flaming wreckage once again. No surprise. If it wasn’t Covid, they’d find another excuse for their incompetence. I pity the peons at State agencies, who come in each day knowing they are led by incompetents and/or political hacks.

Comment by thisjustinagain Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:12 pm
JB/IDFPR on adult-use cannabis rollout:

“Hold my beer.”

Comment by Anon y mouse Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:16 pm
Geez Paloian must be grinding his teeth. Illinois can shut him down but can’t bring their own operation on-line.

Comment by Touré's Latte Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:18 pm
Keeps the competition down for the insiders already in this predatory business.
Funny how in Illinois the state government always seems to make “ mistakes “ that benefit folks like owners of casinos.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:21 pm
Anonymous was Back.
Sorry ‘bout that.

Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:24 pm
===administrative skills===

Admin doesn’t control day to day functions of the Gaming Board.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:26 pm
To the post,

It’s wholly unacceptable that these licenses aren’t ready to roll and the manner to get to that outcome isn’t realized.

What is happening, what has happened?

I say this, not as a snarky ask, I’d like to sincerely know what challenges existed that couldn’t be met, like “bore me with details” kinda deep dive, not only to expose the flaws but to expose the ridiculousness to failing to meet the task.

There’s an accountability here. It’s not a blanket “out” of a pandemic, why, what are the specific reasons…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:47 pm
Accountability? From Springfield? You get funnier every day, Willy.

Comment by Really Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:54 pm
- Really -

Try this post Rich put up.

https://capitolfax.com/2020/10/29/yes-life-can-be-cruel-sometimes/

Add to the discussion, please.

Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:57 pm
Drivebys to feed your mouth breathing - Really -… really is just a driveby not adding.

Be well

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 12:59 pm
The IGB had a very competent ED in Mark Ostrowski that they let go.

Comment by Original Rambler Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 1:15 pm
The coronavirus is just the excuse du jour, its got to be Madigan’s fault.

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 1:16 pm
Wake me up the next time something positive comes out of Springfield. Say, maybe something that makes economic sense?

Comment by Really Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 3:10 pm
=== Wake me up the next time something positive comes out of Springfield. Say, maybe something that makes economic sense?===

I’ll know where to find you;

On the porch… either yelling at clouds or at kids no where near you lawn.

Still can’t add to a discussion, can ya?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 3:29 pm
Oswego Willy. Look who’s talking. These really aren’t serious efforts to help the state of Illinois. If they were they would be more than just always raising taxes. It would cover more revenues and fewer expenses. That could move towards actually solving problems. And don’t toss me that garbage about vote counts. If our representatives were really serious about actually balancing the state’s budget they would approach this problem from all sides. They aren’t. So how do you expect taxpayers to just continue to give and give when they know that the problems won’t be solved when the people in charge really don’t care about actually solving the problem? The people that have created the problem have no interest in solving it, just prolonging it.

I enjoy reading this blog. It is educational to hear how others that you don’t agree with generally think about issues. It is disappointing when instead of engaging people that disagree just belittle people for their viewpoints, but I guess that’s where we are at as a society. Have a nice evening.

Comment by Really Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 5:27 pm
=== These really aren’t serious efforts to help the state of Illinois.===

Legislation, passed, signed into law… is a serious effort.

Try again.

=== If they were they would be more than just always raising taxes. It would cover more revenues and fewer expenses. That could move towards actually solving problems.===

Governor Rauner’s own administration couldn’t find one cut when asked by a Senate committee, Rauner also spent every dime of the raised taxes.

Try again.

=== If our representatives were really serious about actually balancing the state’s budget they would approach this problem from all sides. They aren’t.===

Still yelling at clouds, friend.

Haven’t pointed to a single cut, haven’t made a single argument other and raising your fist to be angry.

You need 60 and 30… but first show me your cuts.

Otherwise, stay on the porch.

=== So how do you expect taxpayers=== … gibberish, gibberish gibberish… ===just prolonging it===

Those clouds are getting a good yelling

=== Have a nice evening.===

Hopefully you wore a mask with your mouth breathing.

Be well.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 5:37 pm
===There’s an accountability here. It’s not a blanket “out” of a pandemic, why, what are the specific reasons…===

Could union intervention such preventing employees from working efficiently (like at the workplace, when needed) be part of the problem? I don’t know if IGB even has union employees. Just wondering.

Comment by HighSox Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 6:24 pm
The State Police pretty much controls the investigations and enforcement functions within the Gaming Board. We’ve seen the bang up job they’ve done with the FOID card applications (no pun intended).

Comment by In_The_Middle Thursday, Oct 29, 20 @ 6:44 pm