Illinois has tried to expand its gambling industry in many ways. In 2019, the state’s governor approved a casino right in the greater Chicago area. That same year, he signed the Sports Wagering Act into law to allow retail sportsbooks at casinos in the state, as well as online sports betting through casino partnerships.
The next logical step – and something for which casinos have advocated – is the legalization of igaming, including online casino games and online poker.
For years, lawmakers have proposed the idea, but there has yet to be enough support to put any bills up for votes. Many industry analysts felt that 2023 would be the year to see it happen, the most optimistic they had been since 2019. Until they weren’t.
Earlier Movement
Illinois igaming bills got a late start in 2023, but that didn’t seem to matter. Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro proposed SB1656 and Representative Edgar Gonzalez Jr filed HB2239, companion bills that shared the title of the Internet Gaming Act. The goal was to legalize online poker and casino games.
They were standard online gaming bills, proposing casinos partner with igaming platforms and operators obtaining licenses. A 12%-15% taxed amount would go to the State Gaming Fund.
Both bills were introduced to their respective chambers on February 8, with the Senate bill receiving its first reading the same day. It quickly moved to the Assignments Committee, which sent it to the Executive Committee just a few days later. The House bill followed the same timeline, though it first went to the House Rules Committee, where it sat for 20 days before an assignment to the Gaming Committee.
The key was to get them into conversations, meaningful debate, and go for the second reading.
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Backwards Movement
The actions on the bills’ pages of the government website shows both bills regressing on March 10. The Senate bill went back to Assignments, and the House bill went back to Rules.
Both reassignments cited respective rules that determined that backward movement. While a layperson might have trouble deciphering the word salads that comprise those rules, it boils down to bills not making it to their third reading before the deadline.
In reality, there were several opportunities for the House bill to receive consideration. The House Gaming Committee had scheduled two hearings for the beginning of March, but both were cancelled for unknown reasons.
These reassignments are usually the kiss of death for bills. And it is unclear why they gathered absolutely no momentum.
You’re Saying There’s a Chance?
It may be a slim chance that the bills can rise from the ashes, but it is very slim. The entirety of the Illinois Assembly adjourns on May 19. Until then, the bills remain alive. Anyone can retrieve them, administer a little CPR, and bring them right back to action.
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It is unclear if anyone can or will do it. The sponsors of the bills have made no public statements indicating that they will. Perhaps behind-the-scenes conversations will reveal a plan to legalize igaming in 2023. If not, Illinois will join a growing list of other states who refused to address igaming’s revenue potential or budget assistance that the gambling expansion could provide in 2023.
This may be another state in which poker players and fans will be asked to hope for action next year.
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