Quinn must veto looser poker rules

In an audacious, irresponsible and downright dangerous move, Illinois legislators have approved a plan that would make it easier for convicted criminals and other shady people to get a piece of the state's video gambling action.

Both the Democratic-controlled Senate and House approved legislation that, in part, says the state's gaming board can deny a video gambling license only if the applicant has been convicted of an illegal gambling charge. They're saying, if you're a bar owner who's never been caught and then convicted of paying out illegally for a poker machine in the past or some other gambling-related charge, come on in! Have at it.

Common sense dictates that legislators ought to be making it tougher for people to get involved in state-sanctioned video gambling. Instead, state Sen. Terry Link, the Waukegan Democrat who pushed the plan, says it's a matter of fairness to open up the field to people who never have been convicted of illegal gambling. Fairness, really? It strained credulity when Link said he couldn't remember who asked him to loosen the rules.

"I'm upset," Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe told the Daily Herald when he was told about this legislation. "... I don't think we want to make our job easier. Our job is to keep bad elements out of gaming."

Indeed it is, and should be. This plan doesn't aid that notion in the least. This plan makes it easier for nefarious people to get rich off gambling. That's what we want?

Already, questionable people seem to be working the angles, ready to jump at a piece of the video gambling action. Daily Herald Politics and Projects Editor Joseph Ryan reported exclusively in an On Guard investigation that gambling players who have been accused of being involved in pay-to-play schemes in two other states are moving into Illinois. Nicky Nichols of Redman Gaming is one. Federal investigators are probing whether Redman Gaming worked a quid pro quo deal with a parish executive in Louisiana. And in Pennsylvania, the gaming board ordered Nichols' company not to involve Nichols' father-in-law, Robert Guidry, in the business. Guidry had prior video gambling dealings with those thought to be mob-connected and he admitted paying $1.5 million in bribes to Louisiana's former governor in the 1990s.

Ryan reported there are complex relationships among companies being set up to run and finance video gambling. Discovering who all is behind these firms is challenging.

Chicago Crime Commission Executive Director Art Bilek said, "This is all the more reason for giving the powers to the gaming board to do the best possible job to keep organized crime out of the business."

But majority legislators finished doing just the opposite this week. Gov. Quinn, we urge you to reject this attempt to weaken restrictions on who can cash in on video gambling. It stinks.