HR0768LRB099 14345 GRL 38433 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly has approved legal 
3video gaming to help generate economic activity for local 
4established businesses, to create jobs, to reduce illegal 
5gaming activity, and to provide much-needed revenue to local 
6communities and the State budget; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Video gaming has produced strong growth since its 
8inception in September of 2012 in local economic activity, in 
9jobs created and supported, and in tax revenue for local and 
10State governments; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, The General Assembly has worked closely with the 
12Illinois Gaming Board, the State's regulatory body for gaming 
13issues, to ensure careful scrutiny and oversight of approval 
14and operations of the nearly 5,000 video gaming businesses and 
15more than 20,000 video gaming machines in Illinois; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, A proposed new form of video gaming business is 
17generating concern around Illinois, both with policymakers in 
18Springfield and within the video gaming industry; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, News reports have detailed developers' interest 
20in creating "casino malls" in Chicago suburbs where strip malls 
21could be converted to have multiple storefronts with 
 
 
HR0768- 2 -LRB099 14345 GRL 38433 r

1neighboring video gaming establishments packaged together; and
 
2    WHEREAS, While proponents argue these "casino malls" could 
3generate more economic activity and revenue, there are 
4legitimate concerns about these malls shifting video gaming 
5away from its intended purpose of main street community 
6entertainment for bars, restaurants, and other local 
7businesses; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly did not envision 
9allowing these types of malls in legalizing video gaming 
10originally and is not interested in seeing this type of 
11activity authorized in Illinois; therefore, be it
  
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
13NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
14urge the Illinois Gaming Board to issue a report to the General 
15Assembly stating the reasons that the Board refuses to grant 
16video gaming licenses to "casino malls"; and be it further
  
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
18delivered to the Chairman of the Illinois
Gaming Board.