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Illinois Video Poker Approved by State But Counties Balk
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS --
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's ambitious $30 billion infrastructure bill passed the Illinois legislature last month with the appearance of bringing jobs and revitalization to public works throughout the state, paid for by legalizing barroom video poker games that would allow the projects without raising taxes. But planners estimating the income from the gambling games didn't count on local governments rejecting the state measure.
Four local governments have already rejected allowing video poker within their jurisdictions. The towns of Rosemont, Rochester, and Country Club Hills, along with DuPage County, all voted to refuse the games admittance to local bars.
Proponents of the gambling bill point out that none of these regions would generate any significant income for the poker plan, containing few applicable locations. They say the resistance is more symbolic than actual.
Support for the machines drew from the de facto operation of many such machines throughout the state. Along with a bevy of such illegal games, the state is loaded with casinos, racinos, tracks, and lottery outlets.
"The genie is out of the bottle in Illinois. If you want to gamble, you can gamble," said Tom Fiedler, president of the Illinois Coin Machine Operators Association.
But state church groups are trying to capitalize on the publicity the early rejections have earned, asking other communities to decline to host video poker gambling. No comment has been forthcoming on whether the religious groups would also have towns reject the money generated by gambling elsewhere in the state.
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