Illinois regulators voice gambling expansion fears
Gaming Board and Crime Commission cite concerns over ability to cope with increased scale of state's gambling industry.
Plans to massively expand gambling in Illinois have come under fire from the state’s regulator, which claims the addition of online wagering and five additional casinos could undermine its ability to police the industry.
Senate President John Cullerton called on representatives of the Illinois Gaming Control Board and the Chicago Crime Commission to discuss their grievances with the proposed expansion bill at a hearing on Wednesday. SB 1739, known as the Riverboat Gambling Act, would permit five new casinos to be built across the state, allow slot machines at horse racing tracks and make it legal for existing operators to offer online poker and casino games.
According to an Associated Press report, Cullerton said: “You’re criticising the bill the way it was drafted. So I’m asking you to tell us: How could we improve it?” Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe raised concerns the law does not afford the organisation enough authority over casinos, while also arguing they do not have adequate staff numbers to take on the additional workload it would attract.
Jaffe also criticised the bill for being too broad. “It’s a Christmas tree bill. It’s something for everyone,” he said. “It’s like we have to pad it and pad it and pad it.”
While the director of the Chicago Crime Commission, Arthur Bilek, did not attend the hearing, a letter was sent outlining his concerns. “Without the necessary regulations being in place, there is every likelihood that organised crime and corruption will enter the gaming system and Illinois will suffer another blow to its national reputation,” the letter stated.
Any appeasement of stakeholders, including the state’s existing casino licensees, is likely to slow down proceedings and therefore the introduction of any online gambling framework. Last year Cullerton introduced an amended version of HB 4148 proposing the creation of a new Division of Internet Gaming in the Illinois Lottery, which would offer internet wagering on its own egaming platform, but took it off the state’s Executive Committee agenda before the 31 May procedural deadline.