Lawmakers approved gaming expansion this year but there has been little movement on the biggest prize of them all, a casino in Chicago. Hang ups include where to site it, a feasibility study focused on five locations but none were in downtown.

Another problem was the same study saying the tax and fee structure in the new law will make a casino in Chicago “not financially feasible.” A change in the tax structure was talked about in the fall veto session but nothing came of it. Democrat Governor JB Pritzker says negotiations are on-going.

One tax that is on the books is a 33% tax on gross casino receipts that Chicago would use to pay police and fire pensions.