Governor candidate in Illinois backs legal sports betting

J.B. Pritzker, the governor candidate of Democratic Party in Illinois, has extended his support to legalised sports betting in the state. He said the state must be considering sports betting as a means to secure additional revenues that can prop up its ailing finances.

Mr. Pritzker will contest against incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, Libertarian Party candidate Kash Jackson, and Conservative Party candidate Sam McCann in the state gubernatorial election scheduled on November 6.

Mr. Pritzker also told reporters, in another meeting, that betting is “an important thing to consider”, pointing out that other states have legalised that type of gambling activity and “it has been a revenue generator.” The governor candidate stressed that sports betting should be regulated and that the right laws should be put in place, but that it is a topic that needs to be considered by state lawmakers.

It is worth noting in this context that Mr. Pritzker himself has a financial stake in a gambling business. He is a partner in the Niagara Casino Group, which owns the Casino Niagara and the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort.

Mr. Pritzker has not been the only governor candidate to comment on the potential legalisation of sports betting in the state. Gov. Rauner has previously pointed out that gambling is something that takes money from people, but that he would support any form of gambling expansion as long as communities support or ask for such a move.