I share communications between the City of Evanston and Universal Gaming Group, the company lobbying to get video gaming in Evanston bars and restaurants
Thank you for this information. Video gaming is gambling. I, like many others, feel that the lack of financial transparency in Evanston will be a problem. Maybe some staff, council members and residents feel this is an easy source of revenue. However, gambling comes with high costs on many levels. The fact that city staff overestimated this year's budget by $87 million and overspent in certain funds without informing the council before the council voted on projects is concerning. Although the city had a $400 million budget, maintaining our assets and completing large Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) without major overruns is a stretch for them. These are reasons to slow down. Public discussion and a referendum are in order on video gaming
The current arrangement regarding video gaming is worrisome in one way — transparency. One has to be skeptical about how detailed oversight of gambling profits have been in the past and the future, if only because so much money is involved.
Gross, I hope Evanston businesses don’t start hosting gambling kiosks. These, like lottery tickets, are primarily a tax on the poor. And Evanston actually does have historical opposition to gambling and similar forms of exploitation, which the staffer isn’t being candid about.
I sat at many Al anon meetings It’s sad but true these companies have very effective lobbies and they know the language to use to entice men. Evanston loves to use virtue signaling claiming how noble we are Now we get our revenue from gambling and marijuana. Sad
Well, we're not getting revenue from gambling - it lost last night 2-5 when it went in front of City Council. The city does get a little bit of revenue from weed sales, but really, not that much - somewhere around $400k.
Who gambles? Mostly men. And a person has to be able to say “ ok I lost “ And they have to be able to walk away That’s hard. And some become addicted. This weakens the family But there is money to be had! It sounds simple but it’s not
Addiction is a strange beast. I have been sober 13 years now but if I even touch a drop of liquor - it’s game over for me in terms of addiction. Yet, I periodically gamble and have absolutely no problem walking away and not getting hooked. I have had the same $100 bucks or so in a Draftkings account since like 2020.
I think for people who struggle with gambling addictions, it’s a very bad time to be in the state of IL - its everywhere now and these companies specifically target people with addictions.
Thanks for this report. Yeah, gambling is sleazy and I'd rather not see it increase here, but I can't see the justification for prohibiting it. If the proceeds are to be used for reparations, then maybe somebody should ask reparation recipients (actual or prospective) whether they favor it.
I don't know if they can use this revenue for reparations without considerable issues and also they now need to resolve the pending litigation first before they put more funds into reparations. In general, though, I mostly feel the same way you do - if this benefits local businesses in some way and isn't illegal on the state level, whatever. Just don't do it *for* the tax revenue.
Gambling was not what the residents bought into in settling in Evanston, so to allow this in restaurants without a referendum is problematic (and the same argument could be made if city gov tried banning gambling in Las Vegas without a referendum).
Thank you for this information. Video gaming is gambling. I, like many others, feel that the lack of financial transparency in Evanston will be a problem. Maybe some staff, council members and residents feel this is an easy source of revenue. However, gambling comes with high costs on many levels. The fact that city staff overestimated this year's budget by $87 million and overspent in certain funds without informing the council before the council voted on projects is concerning. Although the city had a $400 million budget, maintaining our assets and completing large Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) without major overruns is a stretch for them. These are reasons to slow down. Public discussion and a referendum are in order on video gaming
The current arrangement regarding video gaming is worrisome in one way — transparency. One has to be skeptical about how detailed oversight of gambling profits have been in the past and the future, if only because so much money is involved.
Gross, I hope Evanston businesses don’t start hosting gambling kiosks. These, like lottery tickets, are primarily a tax on the poor. And Evanston actually does have historical opposition to gambling and similar forms of exploitation, which the staffer isn’t being candid about.
Great!
I sat at many Al anon meetings It’s sad but true these companies have very effective lobbies and they know the language to use to entice men. Evanston loves to use virtue signaling claiming how noble we are Now we get our revenue from gambling and marijuana. Sad
Well, we're not getting revenue from gambling - it lost last night 2-5 when it went in front of City Council. The city does get a little bit of revenue from weed sales, but really, not that much - somewhere around $400k.
Who gambles? Mostly men. And a person has to be able to say “ ok I lost “ And they have to be able to walk away That’s hard. And some become addicted. This weakens the family But there is money to be had! It sounds simple but it’s not
Addiction is a strange beast. I have been sober 13 years now but if I even touch a drop of liquor - it’s game over for me in terms of addiction. Yet, I periodically gamble and have absolutely no problem walking away and not getting hooked. I have had the same $100 bucks or so in a Draftkings account since like 2020.
I think for people who struggle with gambling addictions, it’s a very bad time to be in the state of IL - its everywhere now and these companies specifically target people with addictions.
Thanks for this report. Yeah, gambling is sleazy and I'd rather not see it increase here, but I can't see the justification for prohibiting it. If the proceeds are to be used for reparations, then maybe somebody should ask reparation recipients (actual or prospective) whether they favor it.
I don't know if they can use this revenue for reparations without considerable issues and also they now need to resolve the pending litigation first before they put more funds into reparations. In general, though, I mostly feel the same way you do - if this benefits local businesses in some way and isn't illegal on the state level, whatever. Just don't do it *for* the tax revenue.
Gambling was not what the residents bought into in settling in Evanston, so to allow this in restaurants without a referendum is problematic (and the same argument could be made if city gov tried banning gambling in Las Vegas without a referendum).