Opponents resort to fear mongering to shoot down Illinois gambling expansion

Chicago-crime-commission

Chicago-crime-commissionAnother opponent to the Illinois gambling expansion bid is making their voice heard. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Crime Commission doesn’t think Gov Quinn should sign the bill because according to them, the bill can’t be properly regulated.

Crime commission deputy director Jody Weis, the former Chicago police superintendent, has issued a stark warning that is more akin to fear mongering. Weis said in a statement that scandal and corruption were to be expected if the gambling expansion becomes law.

Scandal and corruption? That’s a bit heavy no?

Gov. Pat Quinn is yet to make up his mind regarding the bill nor has he officially received the bill yet, but as the Tribune reports, the Governor stated “I think there’s some strong critics of the bill that are on our schedule so we want to make sure everybody gets their voice heard,”

Another critic, commission executive vice president Art Bilek said the Illinois Gaming Board won’t be able to keep up with the flood of new gambling. Bilek said,

“These regulatory shortcomings coupled with the almost unbelievable number of new gambling activities provided by the bill will enable the always ingenious and persistent crime syndicate to seek out schemes to enrich itself by getting into the state’s legal gambling business,” – Chicago Tribune.

Why does that have to be the case?

It shouldn’t be all that surprising though, the Illinois Gambling Board has been trying to shoot this bill down from the very beginning, when their chairman called the bill a “pile of garbage.”