WHAT WAS ONCE JUST A COUPLE OF RIVERBOATS, ILLINOIS GAMING IS NOW A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. (two stories, same lead).
THE STATE’S VARIOUS GAMING OPPORTUNITIES GENERATED ONE POINT FOUR BILLION DOLLARS IN TAX REVENUE LAST YEAR. THERE ARE 12 CASINOS IN ILLINOIS NOW WITH MORE TO COME, AND THE STATE IS HOME TO THE LARGEST NETWORK OF VIDEO GAMING TERMINALS OF ITS KIND IN THE U-S SAYS STATE GAMING BOARD ADMINISTRATOR MARCUS FRUCHTER (fruck-ter). AS FOR SPORTS WAGERING…
ONE AREA THAT CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE IS HORSE RACING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CLOSING OF ARLINGTON PARK IN 2021. .
HORSE RACING SUFFERED ANOTHER BLOW IN 2021 WHEN ARLINGTON PARK CLOSED, LEAVING JUST TWO TRACKS…IN CICERO AND COLLINSVILLE WITH LIVE RACING. NEITHER TRACK HAS ADDED CASINO GAMING AS ALLOWED UNDER A 2019 GAMBLING EXPANSION LAW.