James Weiss stands accused of bribing two Democratic lawmakers in an effort to shield his fledgling business from threatened bans at the state and local levels.
Gambling
U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger laid in to Arroyo during the hearing, calling the former representative a “dirty politician who was on the take” and a “corruption super-spreader,” who “injected” corruption into both the Illinois House and Senate.
It’s been a long slide for greyhound racing, which reached its peak in the 1980s when there were more than 50 tracks across 19 states. Since then, increased concerns about how the dogs are treated along with an explosion of gambling options have nearly killed a sport that gained widespread appeal about a century ago.
Last year, Illinois residents wagered $7.1 billion according to the Illinois Gaming Board. Now, just in time for March Madness, Illinois has dropped an in-person registration requirement for sports bettors — making it even easier to gamble using online apps.
Former state Rep. Luis Arroyo’s conduct was a “blatant cash grab,” Assistant U.S. Attorney James Durkin told U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger, asking that Arroyo spend between 46 to 57 months behind bars.
Sending former state Rep. Luis Arroyo pleaded guilty to one charge of wire fraud in November, and is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 18. Arroyo has acknowledged that he offered a member of the Illinois Senate monthly payments of $2,500 to support a bill supported by a sweepstakes firm that hired Arroyo as a lobbyist.
At an hourslong hearing Thursday, the public got a look at what a Chicago casino might look like and where it would go.
A furious round of lobbying is happening behind the scenes at City Hall over the proposal to allow the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks and Sky to operate sportsbook operations on their home turf.
All bets are in. The state’s gaming commission chose which developers will be allowed to build new suburban casinos — and where. This comes nearly two-and-a-half years after the state’s gambling expansion law passed.
Sports betting, casinos, and COVID-19 bills in Springfield. Our politics team weighs in on that and more.
The former member of the Illinois House told a federal judge Wednesday that he offered a member of the Illinois Senate monthly payments of $2,500 to support a bill supported by a sweepstakes firm that he worked for as a lobbyist.
Late Wednesday, the Illinois House of Representatives approved a measure that would repeal a law requiring parents and guardians be notified before their minor child can have an abortion. The measure now heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Figures released Tuesday by the American Gaming Association, the casino industry’s national trade group, show the nation’s commercial casinos took in over $11.1 billion in the first quarter of this year.
The coronavirus means Sunday’s Super Bowl will be different this year. But something else about this year’s matchup is new: You don’t have to travel to Las Vegas to legally bet on it.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot took the first step Thursday toward making the long-planned Chicago casino a reality, asking firms interested in building and operating “a unique entertainment and gaming experience” to make their pitch to city officials.
Come Wednesday, Rivers Casino and others across the state will once again be able to open their physical doors to gamblers, although with COVID-19 precautions in mind, like masks and social distancing.
