Thank you for your interest in the upcoming gubernatorial election. I appreciate hearing from you and I am sending you this letter to outline my record since I became Governor.
As you know, Illinois enacted Legislation permitting riverboat gambling in 1990, before I became governor. While I believe that the current system is acceptable, I have not signed nor am I currently considering any legislation that would expand gamblign in Illinois. I have opposed many pieces of legislation proposed by the General Assembly that would have significantly expanded gaming in Illinois.I have also called for a full and open review of concerns surrounding the location of Illinois' 10th casino license and I appointed of former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., as Special Investigator to the Illinois Gaming Board.
I proposed new gaming reforms to strengthen ethics guidelines for member of the Illinois Gambing Board. The ethics proposal would prohibit Gaming Board members and staff and their families from being employed by or having any financial interest in a casino license, ban Board members and staff from accepting employment or taking a financial interest in the gaming industry for five years after leaving the Gaming Board; prohibit Board members and staff from gambling at riverboats or racetracks; require Board members to publicly report any informal discussions about Board decisions within 24 hours; and expand fincancial disclosure requirments for casino licensees and their stakeholders.
I also asked Chris Anderson, Director of the Gambling Recovery Center in Evanston, to work with the Board to develop ideas the Board can implement to help people with gambling addictions. In addition, starting this summer, all casinos will check the ids of all patrons 30 years and younger to ensure that problem gamblers who have enrolled in the casinos' "welf=exclusion program" are not admitted.
Thank you again for your concerns regarding gaming in Illinois, I look forward to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Rod R. Blagojevich