Leaders of the Southwest Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook want to know what the village’s residents think about video gaming terminals.
The Bolingbrook Village Board approved a question that will appear on the ballot in November. It asks if the village should allow VGTs.
The question on the ballot will read:
“Should the Village of Bolingbrook allow a limited number of video gambling licenses within the corporate boundaries of the Village?”
Bolingbrook banned VGTs in 2012
VGTs are legal in Illinois, however, some municipalities have banned the slots-like gambling machines. For example, Chicago does not allow them in city limits. They are prevalent across most of the state. In recent years, some cities have attempted to limit the number of licenses businesses can obtain to offer the machines.
The village of Bolingbrook banned them 12 years ago. A 2012 Board of Trustees ordinance amended the village code prohibiting video gaming in Bolingbrook.
The ordinance opted Bolingbrook out of Illinois’ law allowing VGTs. At the time, the measure passed unanimously with six votes.
Illinois expands gambling options
A lot has changed since then. Illinois sports betting is now legal, and several retail casinos have opened across the state. The number of businesses with VGTs has also swelled over the last decade.
While the ballot question won’t outright legalize VGTs, it should provide a good barometer for village leaders moving forward. Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta said some businesses in the village desperately need the revenue they could generate.
“We have had some businesses that have come up and said they need video gambling, and it would help their businesses survive. … We want to know what the community says.”
