Illinois Sports Betting Bill Approved Along with Chicago’s First Casino

3.06.2019, 15:21

On Sunday, Illinois state Senate has approved the sports betting bill and a gambling expansion that would allow Chicago’s first casino.

Illinois will be joining eight other U.S. states. Four other states have also approved the bill this year, Tennesse being the last.

Unlike Tennesse, however, where the governor did not approve of the bill but let it pass without the signature, Illinois governorJ.B. Pritzker did push for sports betting to be allowed at casinos and racetracks. However, there was no mention of mobile sports betting or online casino services.

Illinois already has 10 casinos in the state. However, this would be the first time that a casino would be opened in Chicago. Furthermore, slot machines would be opened for Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports.

The most incentivizing reason for approving the bill is the allocation of tax funds. Chicago would use the money from the city’s gambling operations to fund police and firefighters pension funds. The rest of the revenue would be used to fund major infrastructure projects. Roads, bridges, as well as schools and universities, would be funded from gambling tax.

According to Pritzker, the lawmakers passed “a massive, important infrastructure bill.”

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