Tagged: Expanded Gambling

Supporters of a gambling expansion proposal are making changes to the legislation in an attempt to improve its chances with the Illinois Legislature and Gov. Pat Quinn.

Rikeesha Phelon is a spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton. She says Cullerton plans to strip language from the bill that would legalize Internet gaming and let lawmakers consider it as a separate measure.

A key Senate committee is meeting to discuss concerns that expanding gambling would open the door to political corruption and organized crime.

Senate President John Cullerton invited representatives of the Illinois Gaming Board and the Chicago Crime Commission to appear before the Senate Executive Committee Wednesday . Cullerton’s spokesperson Rikeesha Phelon says the Chicago Democrat wants to try to find a way to address the issue. But she says Cullerton has doubts about whether the concerns are legitimate or "hyperbole" intended to derail the measure.

Kentucky House leaders are considering legalizing Instant Racing across Kentucky to help plug the funding gap in the state's pensions.

Gov. Steve Beshear says disagreement among gambling advocates has made it unlikely that the Legislature can pass a constitutional amendment on casinos this year. Beshear says Kentucky's horse racing industry is divided on how to proceed, which has weakened the chances of passing an amendment.

Despite a long history of wagering on horses, Kentucky has a constitutional ban on casino-style gambling. And many lawmakers have been reluctant to vote to change that, knowing they may face disapproving constituents in future elections.

The clock is ticking on the current legislative session, but efforts to push expanded gambling in the 2013  are still on-going, Gov. Steve Beshear said.

“I think it’s too early to reach a conclusion yet on whether we will have a bill on expanded gaming, you know we’ve got some issues to be resolved," he said.

Beshear is facing a recurring problems since he took office in 2007 and began lobbying for expanded gambling. The  state senate won’t pass any gambling amendment that gives a monopoly to horse racing tracks, but some tracks don’t want gambling if they aren’t promised protections.