Illinois lawmakers discuss legalization of online casino
Lawmakers in Illinois are currently discussing the possibility of legal online casinos to improve state funds, according to a report by Capitol News Illinois.
Five years since the first legal sports bets were placed in Illinois, the state is weighing up the pros and cons of legalizing online casinos, which would offer slots and table games on digital and mobile platforms.
State Representative Edgar Gonzalez addressed a panel of fellow Illinois House representatives last week about his proposal to legalize online casinos. He said, “If we had something like igaming, we would have still had a financial fallback in spite of gross negligence by the first Trump administration. Illinois is gambling with its financial future by delaying the adoption of igaming.”
James Hartmann, a lobbyist for online gambling company FanDuel, also spoke on the subject, highlighting the fact that many Illinois residents already gamble at offshore casino platforms.
“Whether or not you choose to pass legislation legalizing igaming, it is already here. Right now, you can take out your phone and in five minutes, be gambling real money slot machines from the app store, unregulated and untaxed,” Hartmann said.
If passed, House Bill 3080 would enable online casinos to operate in the state legally, increasing tax revenue.
According to analysis by gambling consultancy Eilers & Krejcik, the proposal would result in US$775 million in tax revenue after five years, while up to US$1 billion could be collected at a higher tax rate.
However, opponents of the proposed bill still exist, including casinos and businesses that operate legal video gambling terminals. They claim that legal online gambling could result in the decline of local businesses such as racetracks and riverboat casinos.
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