(The Center Square) – With marijuana and sports betting helping to fill Illinois’ coffers with tax money, some say online gambling isn’t far off.
Six states allow casino gambling online: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and Connecticut. But at a recent East Coast Gaming conference, panelists named Illinois as one of the additional states that could soon adopt internet gambling.
Executives said Illinois already possesses the necessary infrastructure and regulatory systems to make internet gambling profitable.
Dave Briggs from PlayIllinois.com said Illinois could soon allow internet gambling simply because of the bottom line.
"In the gambling industry, the online casino part of it is the real moneymaker for both the state and the operators,” Briggs said. “It outpaces sports betting by a lot.”
Michigan reported collecting a whopping $2 billion from internet gamblers since January 2021, easily surpassing projections.
Illinoisans have shown their zest for trying their luck with several gambling options. A report by the state’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said the state made nearly $1.9 billion between July 2021 and June 2022. The report suggested instant games by the lottery and video gaming in local establishments are credited for boosting gambling revenues.
Illinois is ranked third nationwide in sports betting handle from January through July 2022, with nearly $5.3 billion bet.
Analysts say virtual casino-style games such as slots and blackjack could raise an estimated $275 million a year in new tax revenue for the state.
“If your argument is, let’s legalize it, let’s regulate it, let’s keep the money in the state of Illinois, it makes sense,” Briggs said.
Organizations like Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems have raised concerns about increasing access to gambling online.
“I think this could lead to a lot of problems and people are going to lose more money than they plan, so I think it’s a terrible idea,” former ICAAAP Executive Director Anita Bedell previously told The Center Square. “Making it more accessible on a cell phone or a computer or a tablet at home is just going to increase problems.”