The bill expanding gambling made it out of committee:
- A huge expansion of legalized gambling in Illinois is headed to the House floor.
The proposal would create licenses for five new riverboat gambling casinos. It would include a gambling boat or land-based casino in Chicago. It also would expand horse racing and add slot machines at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
The bill sponsored by Rep. Lou Lang of Skokie was approved 8-3 Friday by the Executive Committee. It failed in the same committee Wednesday with only five votes.
Gov. Pat Quinn said earlier Friday he opposes “top-heavy” gambling expansion and frowned on gambling at the fairgrounds.
Still no word on our readers' proposal to direct all gambling revenues to shore up pensions though. And Quinn seems like he'd rather drive the state over the financial cliff than actually address anything that doesn't involve breaking promises and constitutional protections.