This law changed in 1999, allowing riverboats to remain docked and be more of a “traditional” casino. This allowed casinos to operate on the water, in fact it was mandatory for the boat to leave the dock every 2 hours. It wasn’t until nearly 70 years after horse racing became regulated, that the Riverboat Gambling Act went into effect.

After regulating horse racing, Illinois became the first state to legislate a state lottery in 1974. Thus began the skyrocketing popularity of gambling. The races became a place to see and be seen, dress up, and of course place wagers. It wasn’t until 1927 horse racing was regulated, which helped expand tourism and revenue. Many argued that keeping it illegal only opened doors for people to operate against the law and profit for themselves, as opposed to the state being able to profit and fund public works with the taxes. However, neither form of gambling was legal. Around the same time casino riverboats were also introduced. Gambling in the state actually started with horse racing, which back in the early 1800’s isn’t that surprising. There’s even evidence that suggests these funds from this form of gambling were even used to build the Great Wall of China!įast forward a few thousand years, you’ll find when gambling made its way into Illinois. There were ceramic tiles found that dated all the way back to 2300BC, along with text that suggested these tiles were being used for a lottery-style game. The earliest record of anyone competing for the “luck of the draw” goes back to ancient China. Gambling has been a huge part of the entire world’s history for centuries. Contact Us to Request a Quote History of Gambling & Casinos in Chicago

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