Two highly anticipated bills, on sports betting and gambling expansion, passed through the House during Saturday’s Extended Legislative Session.

Governor Pritzker made the following statement about the new legislation:

“Legalizing sports betting and expanding gaming will create jobs up and down the state, from Rockford to Chicago to Walker’s Bluff, where communities hungry for employment will see 10,000 new jobs. After the Supreme Court legalized sports betting, I promised the people of Illinois that sports wagering would be a key element of my legislative agenda, so that we are competitive with our neighboring states and can create more revenue for communities around Illinois.”



The Gambling Expansion Bill means Rockford now has a license to build a casino. Local lawmakers anxiously awaited this decision, since Beloit is moving forward with its own gambling project.

Statewide supporters say the tax revenue would help fund Pritzker’s proposed $41.5 billion infrastructure plan.

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