June 5, 2007
Gambling Action Alert
Mega Gambling Expansion Bill (HB 25) will be heard in the
House Gaming Committee Tomorrow -- June 6
During the end of the Legislative Session, gambling bills are changed and move very quickly. Last week you called Senators to Vote NO on Senate Bill 11. Rather than call SB 11 for a vote, Senate sponsors stripped the language from House Bill 25--a gambling bill containing changes requested by the Illinois Gaming Board and passed by the house—and replaced it with massive gambling expansion language. The Senate passed the amended version of HB 25 with 30 votes.
On Wednesday, June 7, at 8:30 am the House Gaming Committee will have a hearing on the amended version of HB 25. (See Talking Points below).
For Immediate Action
- Call your State Representative (217-782-2000) and ask him to vote NO on HB 25, which is a massive expansion of gambling. People will have to gamble and lose billions of dollars for the state to get their "cut". Ask your Representative to tell their leaders to "take gambling off the table".
- Share this Action Alert with your Church, Synagogue, or Mosque.
- Forward to 8 others.
Talking Points on HB 25
HB 25 is ripe for corruption and a magnet for crime. HB 25 authorizes a city-owned casino in Chicago with 4,000 gambling positions and creates a quasi-governmental authority to oversee the casino. Authority board members can obtain contracts to provide materials, merchandise, property, services or labor to the casino. The license issued to the Authority is perpetual and may not be revoked, suspended, or limited by the Illinois Gaming Board.
HB 25 expands the number of casinos in Illinois from 9 to 14. Additional casinos in Chicago, Waukegan, South Suburbs, near O'Hare Airport. The 10th license could go to Rockford or downstate.
HB 25 creates land-based casinos and nearly triples the number of gambling positions from 10,800 to over 28,400. (4,000 gambling positions in Chicago, up to 3,500 at other casinos).
HB 25 legalizes Internet gambling on horse racing by legalizing Advanced Deposit Wagering.
HB 25 violates federal law by legalizing electronic poker over the Internet.