Chicago Sun-Times: Some gambling open to insiders, some not

Betty Ames recently won $83,000 at the Par-A-Dice casino in East Peoria -- a good chunk of change that normally would draw little attention beyond friends and family.

But because of Ames' job -- she's a longtime employee of the state Revenue Department, which oversees regulation of casinos, the Lottery and horse tracks -- the Dec. 23 jackpot is drawing concern from good-government advocates and some lawmakers.

Ames' case, they say, illustrates widespread inconsistencies in the hodgepodge of rules designed to curb any appearance of state employees getting an unfair advantage when it comes to gambling in Illinois.

In short, some Revenue Department employees and board members can gamble at casinos and horse tracks while others can't. Meanwhile, the Lottery is off limits to all 2,050 Revenue Department employees - - a move that perplexes state Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago).

"Your first reaction is 'Let's ban them.' But how many employees are there in the Department of Revenue who would be in no way involved with the Lottery? Why not let them spend $10 a week," he said.

Racing board can play horses

On the other end of the spectrum, Cullerton said, are the 11 members of the Illinois Racing Board, gubernatorial appointees who make $300 a day for each day the board meets, not to exceed $5,000 a year. The 10 sitting members on the board -- one seat is vacant -- not only can play the Lottery and gamble at casinos, but they can bet on horses at the tracks they're charged with licensing and policing.

Cullerton, who has been vocal on gambling issues in Springfield, thinks a broad look at all the rules is needed.

"There's no question we need to address this issue through legislation," Cullerton said. "The question is how to best ensure the integrity of all these games."

Geraldine Conrad, a Revenue Department spokeswoman, said the agency's leadership is reviewing policies on gambling as it "often re-examines rules to make sure they make sense in light of questions or new circumstances."

Lottery folded into Revenue

Ames, a personnel "classification manager" who determines job titles for new positions in the Revenue Department, did nothing wrong by gambling at the Par-A-Dice. But had she been playing the Lottery instead of visiting a casino -- she took home about $59,000 from Par-A-Dice, after taxes -- she would have been violating department rules.

The wide-ranging restrictions on who can gamble where were compounded in 2003 by Gov. Blagojevich's decision to consolidate operations of the Racing Board and Lottery -- along with the state Liquor Control Commission -- into the Revenue Department to save millions of dollars.

The state Gaming Board, which bans employees from playing the Lottery and gambling at casinos, already was part of the department.

"It's sort of like the 'Who's on First' routine. When you have to think that much about it, it probably tells you the rules could use some tightening up," said Jay Stewart, executive director of the Better Government Association. "It's best to have a clear set of rules with the least amount of exceptions."

The Lottery was part of the Revenue Department between 1974 and 1986, and all revenue employees couldn't play it during that time. That ban was reinstated June 1, 2003, when Blagojevich's order putting the Lottery back under the department's control took effect.

like a spin of the roulette wheel

The Illinois Department of Revenue oversees regulation of the Lottery, casino gambling and horse-track wagering in Illinois. But rules regarding where individual department employees and affiliated board members can gamble vary widely:

Department Play Gamble Bet at

division or the Lottery? at casinos? horse tracks?

affiliated board

Racing Board Yes Yes Yes

members

Racing Board No Yes No

employees

Gaming Board No No Yes

members

Gaming Board No No Yes

employees

Lottery and No Yes Yes

all other Revenue

Dept. employees

Sources: Illinois Department of Revenue, Illinois Racing Board, Illinois Gaming Board