Illinois loses at the blackjack table

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A decade ago, the U.S. National Gambling Impact Study Commission spon sored by U.S. Sen. Paul Simon found that 80 percent of gambling revenue was derived from households earning less than $50,000 annually. Gamblers with annual incomes below $10,000 spent almost three times as much on gambling – in dollar amounts – than did those with incomes exceeding $50,000. And what was the government take? These essentially low-income gamblers had to lose $84 billion to casinos and lotteries for the participating state governments to rake in $24 billion of new revenues. While it may not be criminal in a legal sense, it’s a national disgrace nonetheless.

Enormous pressure has been exerted by the gambling industry on a somewhat compliant Illinois legislature to vote in favor of gambling expansion. Whether they succeed depends on our reaction, our voices, our remembering who in our government voted which way. Amazingly, only a month after national, state, and municipal elections were held in which candidates were claiming to fight for the interests of their communities, re-elected members of the Illinois Senate voted for gambling expansion. Gov. Quinn has so far indicated that he opposes it. We must hold our representatives accountable.

Fred Gottheil is professor in the economics department at University of Illinois, Urbana. Contact him at 217-333-4591.