Add Naperville to the video gambling 'ban'-wagon

Naperville has joined the growing number of towns banning video gambling.

The city council voted 7-0 on Tuesday to prohibit the gambling machines that were supposed to help the state pay for public works projects.

The new ordinance councilmen approved says the machines would "present a variety of adverse impacts on the residents of Naperville including the potential for corruption, impact on the costs of law enforcement, regulatory difficulties and high social costs."

Before taking up the issue last month, the city surveyed residents on the issue and found 89 percent of the 226 respondents oppose video gambling.

The city had estimated it would have received about $11,250 in revenue from each establishment that chose to install the video gambling machines. There are about 125 eligible bars, restaurants and fraternal organizations in Naperville.

Revenue from the machines was also supposed to help the state pay for $31 billion in public works projects including at least one in Naperville, the widening of Route 59.

Councilmen Robert Fieseler, Kenn Miller, Doug Krause, Judy Brodhead, Richard Furstenau, Jim Boyajian and Paul Hinterlong approved the ban Tuesday. Mayor George Pradel and Councilman Grant Wehrli were absent.

The council had unanimously asked its attorney to draft the ordinance last month.

Rosemont, Buffalo Grove, Country Club Hills, Elmhurst, Elburn, Kildeer, Mettawa, McHenry County and DuPage County have all enacted new bans on the machines in recent months.