The Lake County Board passed a video gambling ban for unincorporated areas in an 18-4 vote Oct. 13. Lake joins DuPage and Cook counties in voting against Gov. Pat Quinn’s efforts to pay for public works projects through video gambling.

“Video poker is an inequitable way to make revenue for our state,” said Lake County Board Member Collin O’Rourke (R-8). “We should have a funding mechanism that makes everyone put their chips in. This plays on the poorest of people. With this, non-gamblers get something for nothing.”

Stevenson Mountsier, (R-17) of  the Barrington voted for the ban, adding the state’s track record is poor in returning pooled revenues to county projects.

“We are not going to get that money back,” Mountsier said.

The state’s approval of the law in July allowed a caveat for municipalities to opt-out, and ban video gambling in their communities. Many municipalities, in addition to Lake and DuPage counties, have also followed suit in banning video gambling.

Those in favor of the law tout video gambling as an estimated $300 million revenue source for roads, schools and infrastructure.

Lake County Board Member David Stolman (R-20), who represents Buffalo Grove, Long Grove and Prairie View, said voting against the ban and for video gambling is an economic decision.

“I look at this not as gambling, but as a chess game with economics,” Stolman said. “There are plenty of things that need to be done in Lake County, including our road ways. It doesn’t hurt the county to wait to see what happens. We don’t lose any money.”

Stolman made a motion to table the vote for 90 days, which was seconded by Audrey Nixon (D-14), but the motion failed 17-5.

Board member Melinda Bush (D-6), who represents Grayslake, Round Lake Park, Third Lake and parts of Gurnee, voted against the ban.

“I had to participate in laying off 18 people over the last year,” Bush said. “I have to look at this as a revenue source, but I’m not going to vote to opt out. I’m not falling down on the side of video poker.”

The Illinois Gaming Board is charged with writing the rules and regulations of the law. Board members and business owners who spoke for video gambling argued that the county should wait for the gaming board to write the rules before voting for the ban.

Chris McSwain, vice president at the coin-operated games company A.H. Entertainers in Rolling Meadows and McHenry, asked the board to take more time on the ordinance.

“We used to employ 350 people,” McSwain said. “We had to lay off 25 percent of our work force due to economic times. We’ve seen a 25 percent decrease in locations we service, including six closures in the last week. Q Billiards in Lake County just closed. The restaurants need the help, the bars need the help. There’s no reason for you guys to rush ahead with this.”

Angelo Kyle (D-12) of  Waukegan, said the process in bringing the ordinance to the board was “backwards.”

“There should’ve been a public hearing,” Kyle said. “We’ve done it backwards. We brought it to the board first to make a decision.”

The ordinance was unanimously passed at the county’s Financial and Administrative Committee Sept. 30, when business owners and residents spoke about the ban.

Business owners argued that businesses within county limits and over the Wisconsin border will have the upper hand over businesses in unincorporated areas.

“Wisconsin pubs allow gaming and smoking, which allows them an advantage,” said Richard Voltair, National-Louis University professor of social and behavioral sciences. “Fifty small businesses would be affected by your decision today, [and] each employs an average of about eight people. That means 400 jobs lost when unemployment is the highest we’ve seen in 25 years.”

County board members in favor of the ban stated gambling is a gateway to bankruptcy, foreclosures and domestic abuse.

Rev. Glenn Stewart of Zion has been lobbying for the video gambling ban for what he cites as social ramifications.

“The lottery was supposed to save our schools,” Stewart said, adding the state education budget has not been balanced by the Illinois Lottery. “For every dollar you get from any kind of gambling, it costs you three dollars in social economic costs. Video poker is the crack cocaine of gambling.”

“The policy does not solve the problem for the person gambling,” Votair said. “A person who gambles will go across the street or travel hundreds of miles to get their fix.”


—By Amy Alderman, Triblocal.com reporter