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Lawmakers in the state of Illinois are working on expanding the current casino gambling industry. This week, a proposal was introduced that would bring four new casinos and slots at race tracks to the state.
While some lawmakers are looking to the future, others are pointing to the past. Specifically, a smoking ban that was put in place almost three years is being blamed for the continual decline in gaming revenue. For the past fiscal year, gambling revenue was lower than it has been in a decade.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability asserts that gambling revenue was just over $1 billion in the last fiscal year. That figure represents an almost five percent drop from the same period the previous year. The revenue being the lowest in ten years has some people believing more may not be good.
"It seems clear from the figures that Illinois residents have either grown tired of gambling, or they do not have the money to gamble given the current economic conditions," said Mark Feller. "Either way, it does not seem like a good time to consider expanding gambling further and saturating the market."
Read entire article here.
While some lawmakers are looking to the future, others are pointing to the past. Specifically, a smoking ban that was put in place almost three years is being blamed for the continual decline in gaming revenue. For the past fiscal year, gambling revenue was lower than it has been in a decade.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability asserts that gambling revenue was just over $1 billion in the last fiscal year. That figure represents an almost five percent drop from the same period the previous year. The revenue being the lowest in ten years has some people believing more may not be good.
"It seems clear from the figures that Illinois residents have either grown tired of gambling, or they do not have the money to gamble given the current economic conditions," said Mark Feller. "Either way, it does not seem like a good time to consider expanding gambling further and saturating the market."
Read entire article here.
<---weesie, without a smoke!!
