Video Poker in Bars
September 14, 2009
It seemed at first as though slot machines would take over the world.
Everywhere you looked states were trying to add slot machines to their
lineups. They tried putting them in bars, restaurants, truck stops, and of
course casinos. But the newest slot machine in town is the video poker
terminal.
Illinois is the latest state to look at adding in video poker machines. The
state knows that they need the money for the video poker games in order to
finance construction projects that have been left by the wayside. They know
that without additional cash from another source, they will not be able to
get these projects done. This is where the video poker games come in.
Gov. Pat Quinn and the state legislature had legalized video poker in order
to finance those construction projects. The state says that if they get
enough counties allowing the poker machines to come in they could make in
excess of $300 million a year. However, it is up to the individual counties
as to whether or not, they added.
Several counties have already opted out of bringing in the poker machines.
They say that although they are aware that the money is much needed revenue,
they do not feel that the money that would come in from the machines is
worth the troubles that they would bring.
Anti-poker activists are lobbying to make sure that other counties follow
suit and ban the machines as well. They say that video poker is the “crack
cocaine” of gambling.
