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Illinois Top Gaming Regulator Wants More Independence

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "As Illinois' gaming industry has been lobbying to expand in the last two years, the state's floating casinos donated a record $888,000 during that time to the state's politicians, according to a new report to be released this week.

"Those numbers may lend muscle to a push to ban casino political contributions — part of a wider housecleaning effort by the state's new top casino regulator, who says more resources and more independence for his office will also be necessary to keep gaming clean in Illinois.

"…Illinois law currently allows 10 casino riverboat licenses (though only nine are in use because of a protracted legal fight over the 10th). The industry is policed and regulated by the five-member Illinois Gaming Board, but the Legislature ultimately holds the power to decide how the boats can operate and how much of their profits they can keep.

"A new analysis by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, a nonpartisan watchdog group based in Chicago, found that casino interests in Illinois donated at least $888,031 to Illinois politicians in the 2003-04 election cycle. That compares with the $700,000-to-$750,000 range that the industry has generally given in Illinois during previous two-year cycles, state campaign records show.

"…Jaffe, a former judge, was appointed in March by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to head the Gaming Board. He promptly proposed sweeping changes to the board's structure — including more independence from the administration that appointed him.

"The board currently answers to the Illinois Department of Revenue, which in turn answers to the governor. Some critics have alleged that the board's chronic underfunding and shortage of investigative staff is an intentional attempt by the state leaders to diminish its effectiveness as an industry watchdog…"

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