ILCAAAP: Video gambling Malls - Contact Gaming Board

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The concept is to place five or six independently owned businesses adjacent to each other in a strip mall. Under Illinois law, no business can have more than five video gambling machines. But there's nothing in the law that prohibits opening several such businesses in the same strip mall to create what's been termed a casino mall.

Rep. Robert Rita (D-Blue Island), who is the lead sponsor of the massive gambling expansion bill and represents a portion of Crestwood, was surprised to learn the speed with which casino mall initiatives were moving forward at the Gaming Board. "My understanding is there are several licenses up for approval at the Gaming Board's meeting next week related to the casino malls in Crestwood and Hometown."

Rita has heard of a plan to develop a casino mall on the outskirts of Springfield. He wants the Gaming Board to conduct a study to help frame legislation to limit the expansion. Read more

The Gaming Board meets next Tuesday, September 22 in Chicago. It is important for the Gaming Board to receive letters opposing video gambling malls.

Your letters are effective. A few years ago, 75 of you wrote letters to the Gaming Board opposing 24 hour gambling and alcohol sales at the casinos. The Board read through your letters and rejected the casinos' request!

FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION:

1. Write a letter to the Illinois Gaming Board. Ask Board members to slow down--over 21,000 video gambling machines are operating in 5,000 establishments.--thoroughly vet all applications, and reject gambling malls (multiple licenses for video gambling parlors in the same strip mall). Fax: 312-814-4602 or E-mail your letter this week to: mary.boruta@igb.illinois.gov
2. Share this Alert with your faith community
3. Forward to 10 others.

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