News...from the Illinois House of Representatives: Speaker Madigan: Further Casino Expansion in Illinois Must Go Hand-in-Hand With A Genuinely Independent Gaming Board

              NEWS
. . .from the Illinois House of Representatives
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION
UNTIL 1 P.M., OCTOBER 29, 2007 Steve Brown
Pager: (800) 345-7256
Phone: (217) 782-0109
Speaker Madigan: Further Casino Expansion in Illinois Must Go
Hand-in-Hand With A Genuinely Independent Gaming Board
CHICAGO --- House Speaker Michael J. Madigan on Monday offered a proposal to transform the
Illinois Gaming Board into a genuinely independent agency with multiple layers of checks and
balances that would ensure the integrity of gaming in the state and better safeguard the public interest.
Madigan stated that a reconstituted board is an essential pre-condition for any further expansion of
casino gambling in the state.
“Two weeks ago, the House Gaming Committee held a hearing in Chicago to give gambling
legislation passed by the Senate a thorough review,” Madigan said. “A great deal was learned about
what additional elements would be necessary if Illinois is to go from the status quo to become a
gambling mecca larger than Atlantic City. What stood out, above all else, was the need to remove the
possibility for cronyism, corruption and collusion when it comes to hiring, contracting and regulating
casino gaming in Illinois. Today’s proposal for a robust, expanded, and independent regulatory
system is based on extensive discussions with law enforcement officials, gaming experts, anti-crime
organizations and political reform advocates. Some of the provisions in our legislation are modeled on
those used by other states.”
A review of statutes governing gaming regulation in other jurisdictions was conducted prior to the
introduction of Madigan’s new proposal. This research suggests that if Illinois is to become a major
gaming state it must adopt standards that meet or exceed those used in Nevada and New Jersey.
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