There are currently 11 casinos operating in Illinois: Rockford, East Peoria, Alton, Rock Island, Elgin, Metropolis, Aurora, East St. Louis, Joliet Hollywood, Joliet Harrah's and Des Plaines. There are 5 more being planned or built, in Danville, Carterville, Homewood, Chicago and Waukegan.

When discussing covetousness, Christians often cite 1 Timothy 6:10 which states, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” However, many often forget to mention the preceding verse: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” The Bible clearly warns us about the evils inherent within the relentless pursuit of wealth, and this teaching should be applied when individuals consider gambling. As a college student who has watched a number of friends become compulsive gamblers, I hope and pray that my peers will internalize the Lord’s advice and refrain from engaging in such a destructive habit.

I write this article as a concerned observer, not as an expert on the phenomenon of gambling and not as someone who ever struggled with gambling. I have simply noticed the pervasive presence of gambling stats and odds in the world of sports, coupled with invitations to download gambling apps, prompting me to wonder how many more Americans will becomes slaves to this highly addictive habit. Or, if they don’t become slaves to gambling, how many will simply lose lots of money indulging this habit?

The Tinley Park Village Board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Hall, 16250 S.Oak Park Ave.  to consider annexing of land for a gas station to become a truck stop.  If approved, the truck stop, near a residential area, could have video gambling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Local residents could gamble all night on the video gambling machines.

Due to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, the odds have improved for legal sports betting to come to Illinois. Proponents are promising lots of tax revenue from bets on baseball, basketball, football, and other sports.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are bowing to gambling interests and victimizing people as a result, says an expert on the industry.

On February 28th, the Illinois Senate passed SB 7 - a massive gambling bill - by a vote of 31-26. Yet for lawmakers with an insatiable hunger for revenue at the expense of well-documented social costs, it wasn't enough. Yesterday, the Illinois Senate passed an amended version of SB 7 to exploit even more citizens, by a vote of 33-24 with 1 voting present. (See roll call chart below.)

One of the Illinois General Assembly's top budget minds is offering some common sense ideas on how the state can return to fiscal sanity and once again become a go-to state for business.

Yesterday, the Illinois Senate put two amendments on SB 7 -a massive gambling bill- and then called the bill for a vote without a committee hearing. This proposal authorizing casinos in Chicago, Rockford, Danville, Lake County, south suburbs of Chicago, Williamson County and 4 casinos at racetracks. It is important to note that this legislation would legalize a city-owned casino for Chicago with a perpetual license that cannot be revoked or suspended. No other city in the United States owns a casino.

An expert on the social costs of gambling says more gambling in Illinois is not a revenue solution for the state's bleak financial future. Professor John Kindt maintains more gambling will only add to the state's fiscal troubles, while making lots of money for the "insiders."

The Illinois State Senate Gaming Committee recently heard testimony on SB 7, the massive gambling expansion bill. There were many questions from members of the committee asking sponsor Illinois Sen. Terry Link (D-Gurnee) to make changes to the bill. The Senate moved SB 7 to third reading so it can be called for a vote at anytime now. Illinois Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) filed Senate Amendment 2 to SB 7 to include slot machines at Chicago airports for passengers who at least 21 years of age and members of a private club.

Democratic Senate President John Cullerton and Minority Leader Christine Radogno negotiated an ambitious plan to end the budget impasse. Promising to act on a package by month's end, they introduced 13 measures that included sweeteners that are not budget-related for both sides.

The Chicago Tribune reported this last Friday on the dubious goings on at the Illinois Lottery: A Tribune investigation found the Illinois Lottery collected hundreds of millions of dollars from selling tickets to instant games in which it did not...