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Illinois may be legalizing online gambling.  This is exciting news for the state lottery but not so much for online casinos.  The problem in the United States has never really been online gambling so much as it has been online casinos.  There are several forms of online gambling that are permitted in the United States. 

Several states allow online gambling in the form of online lottery services.  Wagering online on horse races is perfectly legal in state like Kentucky.  Although no one wants to admit it, Fantasy Football Leagues is a legal form of online gambling.  Fantasy Football hides behind claims of being skill based gambling, when it is actually all chance.  Football is a game of skill, guessing how teams and players will fair during the season is chance.

Regardless the hypocrisy goes unchecked and now the lawmakers in both the House and Senate of Illinois have approved a plan that will not only legalize online gambling but it will also allow bars to operate electronic gambling consoles.  In this instance, online gambling means the Illinois state lottery will be allowed to sell tickets online.  Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has not yet signed the plan into law.

Part of the reason this electronic gambling expansion has been successful in Illinois is because legislators did not make gambling revenues the primary issue.  The focus was placed on education.  Tax revenue from both the gambling machines and the lottery will be used to complete construction projects and state Universities.  Last year a similar gambling plan fell through.

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