Illinois casinos won't be allowed to stay open 24 hours a day, gambling regulators said today.
Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe announced that the request from a casino trade group had been denied at the start of today's meeting. Instead, the state's 10 casinos can continue to operate 22 hours a day, he said.
Supporters argued the change would level the playing field for casinos after the state legalized 24-hour video gambling at truck stops and added that it would put Illinois casinos in line with those in neighboring states. Opponents contended that nonstop betting would create a dangerous situation for gambling addicts who could end up sitting in front of a casino table or machine for days.
In 1990, Illinois became the second state to legalize riverboat casinos, but it has never allowed 24-hour gambling. While several casinos have asked regulators to extend operating hours in recent years, those requests have been repeatedly rejected.
As it stands now, each casino can set different hours that must be approved by gambling regulators. While operating hours may differ, no casino can stay open for more than 22 hours a day. That means some casinos shut down for just two hours each morning, while others may close their doors for several hours longer.
For example, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines closes each day from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., while the Hollywood Casino in Aurora is closed from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, Hollywood Casino in Joliet and the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin close from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. daily.
The latest effort to allow round-the-clock gambling is being led by the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, which represents six of Illinois' 10 casinos.
The group argued that extending hours could help casinos recover lost money and prevent gamblers not ready to quit from crossing state borders during the period when Illinois casinos are closed. Missouri, Indiana and Iowa allow casinos to operate around the clock.
The group also noted that the state allows 24-hour gambling after recently legalizing video machines at truck stops, contending the state could bring in more tax revenue by allowing round-the-clock betting at casinos. That's because casinos' revenues are taxed at a sliding scale that tops out at 50 percent, versus a flat 30 percent tax for video gambling machines.
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