Batavia wants more input before tackling video gambling

A Batavia city council committee has postponed discussion of what to do about video gambling until its next meeting in October.

The government services committee was due to discuss the matter Wednesday. But it decided to go along with a request from the mayor to send a letter to all liquor-license holders informing them that the matter is being discussed. Chairman Linnea Miller said she thought it was only fair to see if they had opinions on the matter, given that the establishments stand to make money off the machines.

A change in state law this summer allows up to five video gambling machines at establishments that have liquor licenses, including bars and restaurants. The law gives municipalities the authority to ban them, however.

Technically, like many other communities, Batavia already has a law on the books banning video gambling machines. But municipal government experts, including the Illinois Municipal League, aren't sure if that is enough to keep the machines out of town, and so towns and counties have been enacting new bans. Elburn banned the machines last week, becoming the first town in Kane County to do so.

Resident Robert Dahlstrom spoke against video gambling.

"Throw gambling and liquor together and you have people doing things they wouldn't do if they were sober," he said, fearful it would lead to more social problems such as gambling addiction.