Gambling is nothing new in Chicago. Legal gambling is. City Hall’s handling of it still looks like the rackets of yore. With a suffocating debt and pension load, and another looming budget deficit, Chicago cannot afford incoherence on this important fiscal and social issue. We can do better. And because of our fiscal moment, we must.
Currently at issue are three forms of gambling — two legal, one questionable.
First comes casino gambling embodied in the city’s agreement with Bally’s to build and operate a casino and entertainment complex. The deal should have received detailed oversight vetting from the City Council in 2022.
