Legalizing Bets on the Internet Won't Save Horse Racing

The Senate passed SB 2702 to legalize Advanced Deposit Wagering and Internet betting on horse racing. Legalizing bets on the Internet won't save horse racing, but it will expand gambling in every home or office in Illinois with a computer. Bets can be placed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from a computer, cell phone, BlackBerry, or other electronic devices. Gamblers could lose their house from their home.

The Attorney General issued an opinion on November 2, 2001 that Advanced Deposit Wagering was illegal in Illinois. Yet, Balmoral Park, Maywood Park, Hawthorne Race Course, and Fairmount Park entered into agreements with Youbet.com to offer advance deposit wagering and online betting in January of this year. In November, 2007, TwinSpires.com, a subsidiary of Arlington Park's parent company Churchill Downs Inc., bought three Internet betting companies, took over their advance accounts, and started accepting wagers in Illinois, according to a Chicago Tribune article. Talk about putting the horse before the cart!

SB 2702 will allow any fees from advance deposit wagering that are currently being conducted illegally and held in escrow, to be distributed, with no legal action taken!

The Illinois General Assembly could pass a law making it a felony to accept or place wagers on horse racing in Illinois as they did in Arizona. The Illinois Racing Board could block the signals from the tracks. Expanding gambling on the Internet will increase gambling addiction and harm.

SB 2702 now goes to the House for consideration. Contact your state Representative (217-782-2000) and ask him/her to oppose expansion of gambling to the Internet. Illinois citizens do not need faster ways to lose their money.

Anita Bedell, Executive Director
Illinois Church Action on Alcohol & Addiction Problems
1132 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62702
Phone: 217-546-6872