The Illinois state Senate, by a 31-20 vote, yesterday approved a huge gambling expansion bill including slots at tracks and a casino in Chicago
.
The champagne was being chilled, but there were no corks popping just yet, for the House took no action and the governor is opposed to the idea.
The bill also includes five new state-regulated casinos and a thousand additional game positions, 400 immediately and 600 more in 2013, for the nine casinos already operating in the state.
The scale of the upsizing could work against the bill’s chances, governor Pat Quinn saying he had not yet seen it but it “sounded top-heavy,” and some Republican House members calling it “gigantic, a huge package.”
The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Senator Terry Link, did not deny that, but said, “We’ve got a huge deficit...a huge problem. You don’t look at little things to fix it. You look at big things.”
(Harness Tracks of America)
Related Stories
• IL Committee Passes Bill; Slots Vote Today?
• Illinois Slots Votes This Week?
• Illinois Slots Bill To Pass?
• Illinois Racino Bill To Be Addressed?
• Illinois Horsepeople Rally For Slots