Phase 4 In Illinois Set To Return Gamblers To Video Gaming Locations
- The odds are favorable that video gaming is expected to be back soon, as Illinois heads into Phase 4.
- This is a part of Illinois Governor Jay Robert "J. B." Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan to fully recover from the coronavirus shutdowns.
- The plan is to have the gaming and gambling locations opened back up by June 26.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan may possibly bring back casino gambling and other video gaming entities, reopening major casinos in Illinois.
This is Governor Jay Robert "J. B." Pritzker’s hope for the coming weeks, with a set date for June 24.
Officials are reviewing how to reopen these locations as safely as possible, as the Prairie State attempts to recover from the coronavirus.
Phase 4 Incoming
Illinois gamblers should be happy to see Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan take place.
It is being expressed by the Illinois board that a plethora of gaming and gambling locations will be able to reopen.
“The timing of resumption of video gaming and casino gaming is entirely dependent on the public health conditions at the time,” said Gene O’Shea, a board spokesman. “Additionally, any resumption of video gaming or casino gaming will resume within the framework of the Restore Illinois plan and, under that plan, the earliest gaming could resume is (Phase 4).”
The main concern that the board is focused on is the safety of staff and patrons. There will be strict rules in place if they are to reopen casinos.
Casinos like Argosy Casino in Alton and Casino Queen in East St Louis are all overseen by the board. The board is also in charge of 36,145 video gaming machines in over 7,000 locations.
The city has been missing out on millions after being forced to shut-down operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The return of these gambling entities will be important on the revenue side of things.
East St. Louis in particular gets around $6 million of its $18 million general-fund budget from the revenue from casino gambling and gaming entities.
“Those funds are used to pay the salaries of policemen and firefighters, so needless to say, we are in a bit of a financial crunch,” said Brooke Smith, East St. Louis City Manager. “We have not reached the point of having to lay people off yet. We’ve been able to manage. But I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to.”
Although no confirmation has been made as of yet with the reopening of casinos, Illinois players will still be able to partake in legal gambling thanks to the many online gambling sites.