Illinois residents have lost nearly $8 billion gambling last year, according to a new report from the Illinois Answers Project.
The fairly new gambling industry seems to have become a double-edged sword: while it is a significant revenue stream for Illinois, it can be where too many fall prey to its addictive qualities. In the state’s most recent assessment, more than one million Illinois residents either have a gambling addiction or are at risk of developing one – which experts say could also be a significant undercount.
In The Loop finds out more about what guardrails exist – or don’t – when it comes to gambling in Illinois, and what state lawmakers are doing about it.
GUESTS: Casey Toner, reporter, Illinois Answers
Elizabeth Thielen, senior director at Nicasa Behavioral Health Services