Illinois Could Legalize Online Gambling

Online gambling has been an issue that has been controversial for some time. There are some who argue against it on moral grounds. Others are concerned with business interests and are either for it or against it as a result. Regardless, a few states are now taking up the mantle of online wagering and deciding to legalize it within their own states. Illinois is the latest state to do just that. 

OnlinePokerReport.com estimates that if Illinois were to legalize poker and other online casino games within it's borders that it could bring in as much as $130 million immediately through tax prepayments from the companies that would like to do business there. That is some much needed money for a state budget that is always strained and certainly in need of some funding. 

Online casino gambling can be a boon to traditional gambling as well. This is because they can get involved with it and take on bets for their tracks and other games as well. This may well add another $1.5 billion roughly to the revenues of existing casinos and racetracks. 

These figures are based mostly on math from other states that have already legalized online gambling such as New Jersey. It is nice for Illinois to be able to turn to a case study that is already out there in the form of New Jersey. They may simply point to what has happened in that state and do their own figures based on those results. Of course not everything is completely equal, but there is enough reason to believe that these figures are pretty solid. 

Currently, the legislation is still being considered. However, the very fact that it could bring in so much tax money for the state is very promising. It is something that would allow for better funding of other programs within the state that are desperately in need of new funds as well. Given this, there could be a very strong push in one direction with this bill. 

There are organizations which promote the legalization of online poker and other forms of gambling who are behind this push as well. They want to see their activities as something that is legal and not have to hide in the shadows anymore. It is about time to add gambling to the list of things that we can do online, and this may be one more state that is moving in that direction.