Illinois Gaming Board Yet to Take Action on Casino Application

Illinois Gaming Board Yet to Take Action on Casino Application

The Illinois Gaming Board will be meeting in the next two weeks, marking further wait for communities like Danville that are looking for action on casino applications. It is still uncertain if the board would take this opportunity to decide the fate of the casino license applications that are still pending with it.

What is IGB planning?

According to Gene O’Shea, the spokesperson for IGB, the board will be releasing the agenda for the July 30 meeting two days in advance. The board is currently fighting on many fronts, especially because of the coronavirus pandemic. Its members didn’t hold meetings from January 30 until June 11.

Illinois Gaming Board Yet to Take Action on Casino Application

The new casino licenses were created in the state after it passes a new gaming law last year. There are several sports betting licenses lined up for the state to review. Last month, Marcus Fruchter, the administrator of IGB said that the board’s responsibilities have doubled over the past year. The board’s staff has been busy conducting due diligence on at least 10 casino applications alongside other applications since October 2019.

Communities waiting for a heads up

Williamson County, Waukegan, Rockford, Danville, and the south suburbs of Chicago were the five communities set to get a casino according to the 2019 law. All racetracks in the state can get a casino license and Downtown Chicago is expected to get a casino resort. The board only has time until October to work on the applications.

On June 30 this year, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed another bill into law that will require the board to reopen the process for selected communities to receive a casino if it doesn’t have any pending applications. The application for Danville appears to be in troubled waters right now. In the January meeting, the board did not allow Haven Gaming to get a casino license for the community. A board member called it an inadequate approach to application.

If the board rejects the Haven application altogether, then Danville’s casino ambition could be in limbo.

About sherlock

Sherlock Gomes loves to write and express his views on anything related to Gaming, Gambling, & Casino. He has been covering Gaming for more than two years now.