Illinois to legalize sports gambling, add casinos

Governor pledges signature on bill approved by Senate

By GRANT MORGAN/Capitol News Illinois
Posted 6/5/19

Six new casinos, along with legalized sports betting, are coming to Illinois after Senate lawmakers approved a massive gambling expansion bill Sunday.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Illinois to legalize sports gambling, add casinos

Governor pledges signature on bill approved by Senate

Posted

SPRINGFIELD — Six new casinos, along with legalized sports betting, are coming to Illinois after Senate lawmakers approved a massive gambling expansion bill Sunday.
Senate Bill 690, sponsored by Indian Creek Democratic Sen. Terry Link, passed that chamber on a 46-10 vote after being approved by House lawmakers the day before. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has already announced his intention to sign it into law.
“I’ve only been doing this for 20 years to get this done, and it’s a little emotional,” said a teary-eyed Link during floor discussion of the bill.
Link estimated that gambling expansion along with other revenue-raising measures in the bill could net Illinois more than $12 billion in the next six years.
“This key piece of legislation really is going to make an economic difference of keeping our dollars home,” he said, adding he expects “thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in construction across the state.”
That construction would go toward the six new casinos authorized by the bill in Waukegan, Rockford, Danville, South Suburbs, Williamson County and downtown Chicago.
Casinos, race tracks and sports facilities that seat more than 17,000 people – such as Wrigley Field or United Center – would also be eligible to buy sports betting licenses under the bill, making Illinois one of about a dozen states to legalize the practice after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year allowed it.
In a news release Saturday, Pritzker expressed his support for the measure and praised the lawmakers who have unsuccessfully tried to expand gambling in the state for years.
“Legalized sports betting and expanding gaming will create jobs up and down the state, …where communities hungry for employment will see 10,000 new jobs,” he said. “Gaming expansions in this state have been attempted and failed for years. … Today is a win for the whole state.”
Revenues raised from the new casinos, the selling of sports betting licenses, and a higher tax on video gambling machines would go toward funding the vertical components of a long-term capital infrastructure plan, such as state building renovations. Sports betting licenses would range from $3.2 million to $20 million and be offered to both brick-and-mortar facilities and to online operators, with taxes of 15 percent.
Under the bill, race tracks in the state would be able to install slot machines and table games, turning them into racinos. A pilot program will also assess sports betting through the Illinois Lottery, a plan that was considered but dropped by lawmakers earlier in the session.

Gambling Bill Highlights
Provisions in Senate Bill 609, passed this session by the General Assembly:
– Six new casinos authorized in Illinois, in Waukegan, Danville, Rockford, South Suburbs, Williamson County and Chicago.
– New casinos can be land-based; existing riverboat casinos allowed to change to land-based.
– Chicago casino to be privately-owned; city can appeal to the Illinois Gaming Board if private ownership is not feasible.
– Supplier diversity requirements and minority participation goals established for new casinos.
– Slots allowed at O’Hare and Midway airports.
– Horse race tracks allowed to install slot machines and table games.
– Casino gambling position limit bumped from 1,200 to 2,000 (4,000 in a Chicago casino), each new position costing $17,500 ($30,000 for Chicago positions).
– Tax increase on video gambling machines from 30 percent to 34 percent within two years.
– Video gambling machine limit bumped up from five to six at each location (10 for truck stops that sell more than 50,000 gallons of fuel a year).

– Increased maximum bets (from $2 to $4) at video gambling terminals; progressive jackpots allowed.
– State dollars for problem gambling initiatives increased to $6.8 million from $800,000.
– Sports betting licenses available for casinos, race tracks and sports facilities that seat more than 17,000 people.
– Sports betting licenses range from $3.2 million to $10 million for casinos and race tracks; $10 million for sports facilities; $20 million for online sports better operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings.
– Online sports betting operators allowed to partner with a brick-and-mortar facility under the brand name of the facility.
– After 18 months, online operators allowed to purchase completely online license (not connected to brick-and-mortar location).
– 15 percent tax rate on sports betting.
– Official professional sports leagues data can be used, but no royalties will go to the leagues.
– All betting on Illinois college sports teams banned.
– Pilot program created to test sports betting through Illinois Lottery at authorized lottery locations.
– All revenues from bill would go toward funding the vertical components of a long-term capital infrastructure plan, such as building renovations at state universities and prisons.