by Peggy McBee

Created on: January 10, 2009

Yes, I definitely think that Illinois should expand gambling as a way of easing budget troubles. When you look at the options of how to strip people of their hard earned cash in order to ease the budget why raise taxes when people will willingly give it to you. Not only would expanding gambling open new paths of income for the government but it would also help the community by increasing tourism thus helping the local economy from shops and restaurants to hotels. As it stands right now Illinois allows Riverboat gambling and can grant ten gambling licenses. Each license can operate up to two riverboat casinos but may not have more than 1200 gaming positions total between the boats. All gambling must be done cash free using tokens, chips or electronic cards. Illinois has the highest tax rate of all the states where casinos are concerned. With two taxes in place Illinois for casinos an admissions tax and a wagering tax both the local and state governments are profiting. The admissions tax which is four dollars a person for casinos who have admitted less than one million people in the last calendar year and five dollars a person for casinos who have admitted over one million people in the last calendar year. Of this tax one dollar goes to the local government where the casino operates and the other three or four go to the state. Wagering tax is a little more difficult it is determined as a percent based on the amount wagered in the casino unless the casino does not meet their base payment by June then they must pay the state a lump sum payment. Either way the state is collecting a good amount in taxes from the casinos for simply allowing them to operate. More casinos would mean more revenue for the state and local governments, slight increases in taxes when allowing more casinos and more gaming positions would dramatically boost the monetary outflow. Illinois already has strict regulations on gambling as mentioned earlier the rules on cashless wagering and there is an age limit in place that does not allow any person under the age of 21 to enter the casino. Here's the thing, if you already allow gambling and casinos then is there really a difference when it comes to expanding, there isn't anything new just adding to existing practices in the state. Increasing gambling would certainly be an effective way to ease budget troubles without causing budget troubles for those who live and work in the great state of Illinois.

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