Illinois Lawmaker Sees Difficult Road Ahead For Online Casino Legislation

Lawmakers do not anticipate Illinois’s virtual casino policy to be approved in 2022, with one senator even deeming the likelihood of passage in 2023 to be slim.

In the photo, Senator Dave Syverson cautioned Play Illinois that a post-pandemic economic decline might jeopardize the future of online gambling in Illinois.

Syverson remarked:

I do not anticipate any significant discussions about iGaming in politics until at least 2023. Additionally, if the economy is struggling in 2023, it is unlikely to have any impact on the conversation.

Syverson, the dean of the Illinois Senate with 29 years of service, is a member of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

The commission recently conducted a study to calculate the revenue lost by the state due to the lack of online casino gaming implementation during the pandemic.

Why Illinois will decriminalise virtual casinos in 2022

Senator Cristina Castro requested the study in order to prompt discussions on internet gambling legislation in 2022.

She anticipated that it might take time to educate lawmakers, but she believed that the conversation would start next year.

Syverson offered multiple additional explanations as to why the Illinois Legislature is unlikely to give serious consideration to internet gaming legislation in 2022.

It’s an election year, so now is not the time for politicians to act on contentious policy.
• Several game expansions approved by the legislature in 2019 have yet to be fully implemented by the Illinois Gaming Board. Lawmakers are hesitant to add more pressure on the authorities.
• Illinois will not require the funds in 2022 as state and local governments have ample money due to national crisis-related assistance, which will last until the following month.
• Following the crisis, bars, restaurants, and veterans organizations are relying more on income generated from video games. They strongly oppose the growth of online gaming.

Not every legislator represents a district with a casino, but all of them have bars and restaurants in their area.

Syverson questioned which politician would support something that goes against the interests of local restaurants, bars, veterans, and fraternal organizations, stating that such a decision would be political suicide during a vote.

Why 2023 might present problems for the laws governing virtual casinos

Syverson is worried that Illinois could be in for a rude awakening once the national funds run out.

As of January 23, the cliffs are so impressive that we are unsure of the state government’s decisions. I anticipate possible significant economic instability.

At that point, it could be seen as reasonable for the state to rely on tax revenue from internet casinos.

However, the study highlights the possibility of online gambling affecting VGT revenue.

Syverson sees it as a result of a rising worry in Illinois regarding online businesses entering the market, potentially resulting in the closure of brick-and-mortar stores.

I am confident that many restaurants, bars, and VFWs in Illinois rely heavily on their video gaming revenue to stay in business. If this income were to suddenly decrease, their profits from gambling would be greatly impacted. When it comes to iGaming, expanding an online venture compared to traditional brick-and-mortar establishments will pose significant challenges.

According to Syverson, the likelihood of the state and local economies rebounding more positively than anticipated after the pandemic is a potential risk tied to the potential approval of online casinos in 2023.