June 18, 2009

Gambling Action Alert

Legislators will come back to Springfield next week to work on the Budget and make changes and vote on the capital construction bill in the House. Legalizing video poker machines in retail liquor establishments and Internet Lottery are part of the funding source to pay for the construction programs.

Please read the Chicago Tribune article below and cast your vote in the online poll at www.chicagotribune.com/pokervote to send a message to lawmakers and the Governor that this is a massive expansion of gambling in Illinois. There is no limit to the number of establishments that could apply for a license to have 5 video poker machines-it could be more than double the 45,000 figure that is being used by Legislators and their leaders.

For Immediate Action

Share the Chicago Tribune article with your State Representative in their District Office. Ask him'her to take video poker and Internet Lottery out of the capital bill.
Call Governor Quinn (800-642-3112 or 217-782-6830) and tell about the concerns raised in the Chicago Tribune article regarding potential harm and cost of addictions, political cronyism and mob influence, inability to regulate and/or enforce, and unstable revenue source. Ask the Governor to veto video poker and Internet Lottery out of the capital construction bill.
Vote on the online poll - www.chicagotribune.com/pokervote

Video poker would roll out new challenges for regulators

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed-video-poker-jun17,0,4354336.story