Illinois Senate Finally Approves Casino Expansion Bill But Yet To Arrive At Grand Bargain

• Rich Caesar
• March 6, 2017

Last week proved to be a grand time of the month in the history of the gaming industry in Illinois state when the Senate approved a casino bill that is aimed at ensuring there is ‘grand expansion’ of gaming resorts.

However, the stride is far from turning a jubilation thanks to a number of other legislations that must be passed alongside the new expansion bill.

According to the Senate, which has been mandated to come up with legislation that ensure liquidity throughout the state, must agree on several other bills that ‘boost the economy’, in order to pass the casino bill.

Terry Link, the state Senator who seems to take the lead among his fellow senators in the house to drum up for the massive support of the casino expansion bill has been caught in a tight fix.

He has no choice other than lobbying for support from his fellow members who then will pass other legislations that go along with the casino bill if they want the state to achieve its millennium achievement agenda of making real money online casino gambling sites.

If finally passed, the new casino expansion bill will enable Illinois to have at least 6 new gaming facilities that are land-based. In the past the Illinois Senate has Considered Casino Overhaul As Chicago was the Target.

However, until the Senate deliberates on other ‘revenue boosting’ bills along with the bill in question, the idea of casino expansion will be just on the people’s wish list forever.

The state’s financial observers say that the Senate is optimistic about the future of the state but it has to work hard towards achieving the ‘Grand Bargain’.

The term Grand Bargain has been used by many people who believe that if the casino expansion bill and other related legislations are given priority by the Senate, the state will get itself out of the financial mess it has got itself into.

The only ways to fix the mess, observers say, it is for the Senate to act with prudence and fulfill its mandate-draft legislation that will seal the gap of revenue deficit.

Budget and revenue deficit has been as a result of the spending standoff that has been witnessed in the state for a period of two years.

Bruce Rauner, the Republic Governor, has had a difficult time to enact legislation that will help the state because of the existing standoff between his administration and the House that is controlled by the Democrats.

Many say that the standoff is likely to last longer as long as the two opposing sides exist.

John Cullerton, the President of the Senate said on Wednesday that Rauner is the main obstacle in realizing the agenda.

“He is injecting himself (Rauner) too much into the proceedings. When he does so, you know that he hijacks the deal that is bi-partisan, which has cost us months to come up with,” said Cullerton.

Effects Of The Bill

If the bill is finally enacted, the state of Illinois will flourish, particularly the gaming industry.

Currently, gaming resorts are limited to specific regions (riverboats) such as Illinois River and Lake Michigan.

Last week, Senator Dave Syverson argued that the state is losing approximately $1.6 billion to neighboring states that have embraced casino expansion.

But with the proposed bill, says Senator Link, the state will pocket up to $1 billion from casino set-up fees with an additional $130k in license and gambling position for each table game seat or slot machine per gaming facility.

But until Illinois lawmakers pass ‘accompanying’ laws, the casino bill will be a legislation to wish for.