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Poll: Illinois Voters Cold to Gambling Expansion

ILLINOIS – As reported by the Chicago Tribune: "Legislation calling for more gambling in Illinois has lost momentum in Springfield and a new Tribune/WGN-TV poll may help explain a key reason why: Voters overwhelmingly dislike the idea and a significant number say they might vote to oust legislators who backed it.

"In addition, nearly half of all voters statewide said Mayor Richard M. Daley should fold his plans to own and operate a casino in Chicago, while only 29 percent said they favored the idea. In the city, however, opinions on a local casino were almost evenly split, a sharp turnaround from a similar poll last June when Chicago residents soundly rejected the notion of having a gambling palace in their midst.

"…Illinois is home to nine riverboat gambling casinos. A license for a 10th, now held by the bankrupt Emerald Casino that hoped to open in Rosemont, lies dormant as Emerald battles in court for the right to sell it.

"By more than a 2-1 ratio, voters said they didn't want any more gambling boats in the state. A total of 56 percent said they disagreed with gambling expansion while only 25 percent favored it, and 19 percent offered no opinion. The survey of 600 registered voters was conducted May 21-24 by Market Shares Corp. of Mt. Prospect and has an error margin of 4 percent.

"…Though the strongest opposition to more gambling can be found among Downstate Republicans, most suburban voters and Democrats across the state also disagree with the idea. Two-thirds of white suburban women, a much-sought-after voting bloc, opposed expanding gambling…"

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