Chicago suburb to probe video gambling

Campton Hills trustees will leave it up to voters whether they want to allow video gambling in town or not.

US.- Video gambling has repeatedly been discussed in the Chicago suburb of Campton Hills and was even left up to voters to decide through a referendum in 2012. However, town trustees are once againg pushing a vote to let residents decide whether they want to allow the segment or not.

Kim Weiss, a manager at a local pub, said she’s hopeful that trustees will see a business opportunity in video gambling and allow it in the area. “We’re not trying to harm the village or take away its small-town feel, we just want to be competitive,” she said and added: “To stay open as a restaurant, you have to give the people what they want. This is what they want. It’s just another form of entertainment. It’s not a casino.”

Back in 2012, there was a massive rejection of the segment as 70% of voters rejected a similar proposal in a referendum. However, the town will once again look into the issue in a nonbinding ballot question on April 2.

“If the community has changed dramatically in their opinion, that certainly weighs” into the decision, trustee Mike Tyrrell (who’s also an unopposed runner for village president) said. He added that he has “not made a commitment” to either support the measure or not.

Meanwhile, village President Harry Blecker said that he favors video gambling in Campton Hills and stated: “I think there’s enough people in the village who thing it’s a good financial move.”