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Round-Up: Video Poker Debate Goes Local

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Illinois

[posted by Mike Murray]

Quinn and the GA support video poker as a funding mechanism for the capital bill, but the debate continues at the local level…

* Peoria County considers ban on video poker

* Luciano: Video gaming ban would be a losing bet

A county ban would affect 53 taverns and businesses in unincorporated areas. Municipalities, including Peoria, would not be affected by a county prohibition. However, those municipalities could enact bans of their own. Gambling opponents are pushing cities and counties statewide to say no to video gaming. […]

But that’s not an issue here. Illinois allows numerous forms of wagering, and video gaming is on the way. The Peoria County Board is not going to stop that.

It’s safe to say that most county and municipal governments will welcome the notion of taking a share of video gaming. Peoria certainly will. So, residents in unincorporated Peoria County would not have to go very far to play a poker machine.

In the end, a county ban would crush pubs in unincorporated areas. Many patrons would go elsewhere for video gaming. That’s hardly a fair playing field.

* Daley Discourages Video Poker Opt Out

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley is warning community leaders not to ban video poker machines. State lawmakers approved the gambling machines in bars and restaurants to raise revenue for statewide construction projects. But DuPage County Board Chairman and gubernatorial candidate Bob Schillerstrom is urging his county and others to opt out of the gambling plan. Mayor Daley says pulling out of the deal could hamper road and school projects all over the state.

* Legalized video betting could put Springfield VFW out of business

posted by Mike Murray
Wednesday, Aug 5, 09 @ 9:32 am

Comments

So if a number of municipalities, townships and counties opt out of video poker or video gambling, then what happens to funding? Will we be looking at a shortfall in revenue for the capital bill?

I always assumed a revenue shortfall as gaming revenues always seem to be overestimated and Illinois casinos are “underperforming” when compared to the estimated revenues they were to bring in during the budgeting process of the past few years.

If a few large counties and municipalities opt out, it could be a problem.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Aug 5, 09 @ 9:37 am
The Springfield VFW post story is interesting. I don’t think I can remember another time when a community organization argued in a newspaper against taking away its profits from an illegal activity.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 5, 09 @ 9:56 am
This bill is a bust for small clubs. The club I belong to has 5 machines, we own 3 of them outright and have the other two so we can have some game for the kids. Under the new law, we are not allowed to own the machines we have to get them from the supplier and split 50/50 with them (after the 30% tax) that means we only get 35% for a total loss of 65%. If we make a total of $1000 per month we only get 350.

The other main issue is we do not have a seperate room for the machines under the new law we have to put up a barrier which is also an increased cost.

Our club is probably getting out of the Video Gaming as I suspect a lot of other small clubs. The only group that won on this is the Video Machine Suppliers.

Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Wednesday, Aug 5, 09 @ 10:01 am
I hope all the hand wringers will be o.k. of the legislature:
a. put all the video poker into a fund and only pays for projects in areas that have not banned video poker.
b. starts a crack down on all the outfit machines in the areas that ban the state machines…that would fun, especially DuPage Co. where BrickheadJoe can lead the eradication effort.
BTW when will the hand wringers start the campaign to close out Blinky Jim Edgar’s on-line bookier outfit, You Bet? Maybe AnxiousAndy Shaw can get on that one.

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Aug 5, 09 @ 10:08 am
What was the logic in the prohibition of machine ownership as well as a fixed price for the machine rentals? Seems odd.

It would seem to be logical, for at least the small organizations to keep as much money in their place as they can.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Aug 5, 09 @ 11:18 am
I knew very little about video poker until it just recently passed as a sneaky way to raise taxes, hitting those least able to pay, those who may be sitting in a bar w/ a drink and some poor judgement perhaps losing their whole paycheck. I heard a local reporter, expert on the topic (forgot his name), interviewed by Dick Kay about it and he referred to this as THE CRACK COCAINE OF GAMBLING. MANY STATES ARE BANNING IT COMPLETELY!!!!

Not good for our state and its people, and unfortunately, not surprising coming out of this abysmal and morally bankrupt GA and legislature.

Also, a caller to the radio brought up the point about how this creates no jobs. At least a casino in Chicago would have created a lot of jobs, would be regulated (unlike in the bars/video gambling - can you say skimming off the top??), and would have created revenue for nearby businesses and from tourism. Another huge disappointment by these clowns running our state. Madigan, Cross, etc.

Comment by state employee Wednesday, Aug 5, 09 @ 7:08 pm