A major expansion of gaming in Illinois has moved a step closer with the news that a committee in the state's House of Representatives has approved a bill to allow slot machines at horseracing tracks and five new casinos.
The bill proposes four additional land-based casinos in Lake County, Rockford, Danville and the South Suburbs, as well as either a riverboat casino on Lake Michigan or a land-based casino in Chicago with 4,000 gaming positions - twice the size of other casinos in the state. The state’s six racetracks will also be permitted to operate slot machines.
This potential expansion has raised concern over the viability of new gaming facilities following a decline in revenues at the state’s existing casinos. Those pushing the bill, however, are keen to balance the state budget and view gaming as a suitable way of doing so.
The full House will now vote on the bill before any amendments are returned to the Senate for approval. State Governor Pat Quinn, who is understood to dislike certain aspects of the proposed law, would then need to sign it into law.
