Lake County allocated $800,000 in video gaming revenue to various gambling addiction social services throughout the county during Tuesday’s County Board meeting, money that one organization leader said will help combat a growing crisis.
Board members spoke in favor of the annual funding, but some lamented the fact that such services were a need in the community, sharing the negative impacts of gambling addiction they’ve seen.
According to a county spokesperson, the Illinois Video Gaming Act establishes a 30% tax on gross terminal revenue, of which 1/6 is distributed to the municipality where the revenue was generated.
The flat $800,000 was set to allow “for certainty in the annual budgeting process, and allows the county to deliver funds more quickly to community-based organizations,” the spokesperson said.
