'All the state has done is create more competition for them and strangle them with taxes and regulations.' 'I'd question any of these companies investing more money into casinos there,' said Alan Woinski, president of Gaming USA Corp., a Florida-based gambling industry consulting and market research firm. The Illinois legislature's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability's recently released annual 'Wagering in Illinois' report shows the state's gambling taxes from lottery sales, casinos, horse racing, sports betting and video gambling climbed to $1.99 billion in the fiscal year that ended June 30, a 5.1% increase from the previous fiscal year.īut some industry experts are concerned the proliferation of gambling options statewide may not be sustainable long-term, ultimately resulting in a revenue decline. The expanding array of wagering opportunities in Illinois created the state's largest windfall to date from gambling-related taxes during the last fiscal year. The Rivers Casino sportsbook in Des Plaines, along with eight other sportsbooks statewide, generated $143 million in gambling tax revenue for Illinois during the state's most recent fiscal year, which ended in June.
