In a an effort to create jobs, but mostly to boost the state’s revenue, Illinois state legislators put together a massive gaming bill that would effectively enact gambling expansion in the state of Illinois. The bill was approved in the General Assembly and now awaits the approval of Governor Pat Quinn.
But not everyone is pleased with the new bill as it has been drafted.
As the Chicago Tribune reports, the state’s top gambling regulator Aaron Jaffe blasted the gambling expansion bill, criticizing the bill for not being well thought out and feeling that it would erode oversight.
Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe has been highly critical of the way the proposal made its way through the General Assembly in the waning days of session. Jaffe felt the bill was too big and too technical to have been approved in just two days. According to the Chicago Tribune, Jaffe also questioned efforts since then to re-shape the bill to avoid a possible veto from Gov. Pat Quinn saying those conversations should have taken place before a vote, not after.
Jaffe was quoted in the Chicago Tribune saying, “You can’t make perfume out of a pile of garbage.”
Actually, Mr. Jaffe you can. But that perfume would stink like, well garbage.
Jaffe’s comments as recorded in the Chicago Tribune read, “I realize that the state is in financial trouble, if gaming is the way that our leaders want to go, so be it. But they should do it in a fashion other than the way they did this particular bill…It’s chock-full of items, that in my opinion, would never pass on their own.”
This is one of the problems with drafting any type of legislation that expands gambling. It can’t be glossed over, it must be carefully drafted or it won’t stand, it’s a delicate and arduous process and it’s one of the main reasons that gambling expansion bills often fall flat on their faces in many states.
It remains to be seen what Gov. Pat Quinn will do with this latest piece of legislation.
Jaffes comments in the Chicago Tribune put it best, “Good regulation breeds confidence, bad regulation breeds mistrust.”
