Chicago City Council members are reviving plans to legalize video gambling in the city, introducing two ordinances that could bring hundreds of terminals to O’Hare and Midway airports and allow machines citywide for the first time.

One ordinance, introduced by Alderman Gilbert Villegas (36th), targets the city’s airports, where he sees both political feasibility and high revenue potential.

“The General Assembly has provided this opportunity through the casino bill. Yet, we’re not taking advantage of capturing dollars from one of the busiest airports in the country,” Villegas said.

“People are there, in some cases, one or two hours before. If their flight is delayed or they’re making a connection and there is a delay, there’s an opportunity to capture an audience that may not even be going to the city.”

Villegas’ proposal includes a $10,000 license fee per location, plus $500 per terminal. A separate terminal license would cost $1000, with an additional $500 per unit. If 400 machines each generated $800 daily, Villegas estimates annual revenue could reach $116.8 million, with the city taking a share through licensing and taxes.

Alderman Anthony Beale (9th) is pushing for a broader citywide expansion. His ordinance would legalize video gambling throughout Chicago, including in neighborhood bars and restaurants.

“We need to do it citywide and at the airports. We need the revenue and this administration has not shown a willingness to find new revenue that’s not gonna hit the taxpayers in every household,” Beale said.

Beale’s ordinance proposes a $500 license fee per location and a $1000-per-terminal charge for both the site and the machine itself. He has criticized the administration for dismissing the potential benefits, arguing that the current tax formula could be renegotiated with state lawmakers.

“That’s because they haven’t shown the willingness to go down to Springfield and change the formula. I’m hoping that submitting these ordinances will finally convince them to send a team down there,” he said.

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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has announced the recipients of the 2025 National Awards. Each year, NCPG honors individuals and organizations from around the world for their work on problem gambling and responsible gambling. The awards ceremony, exclusively sponsored by Scientific Games, took place on Friday, July 18, in Columbus, Ohio, during the National Conference on Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling 2025.

The 2025 NCPG National Awards Recipients include:

• Lifetime Award for Research: Dr. Michael Wohl, Carleton University

• Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Oregon Lottery

• Jeffrey M. Beck Recovery Ambassador Award: Peggy Brown

• Service Award: Susan Diamond, Responsible Gambling Program Manager with the Ohio Lottery

• Joanna Franklin Award for Direct Service: Jeremy Eberle, Co-Owner and Therapist, Alternative Avenues

• Jim Wuelfing Award for Prevention: Claire Spada, Director of Workforce Development, Problem Gambling Network of Ohio

• Don Feeney Award for Responsible Gambling Excellence: Stacy Shaw, Vice President of Product & Program Marketing, Oregon Lottery

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• Don Hulen Award for Advocacy & Awareness: Megan Poliquin, LPCC-S, LICDC-GAMB, Zepf Center3

• Dr. Durand Jacobs Dissertation Award: Dr. Jackie Stanmyre, Rutgers University for Gambling Studies

• Denise Phillips Community Outreach and Multicultural Wellness Award: Shandra Parks, PhD, LMSW, CFSW, CCGSO, Maryland Council on Problem Gambling

• Media Award: The Ohio Newsroom for their story on the Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network, reported by Erin Gottsacker

• Affiliate Public Awareness Award: The Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado

• Corporate Public Awareness Award: Oregon Lottery for their “Safer Play” PSA Campaign

• Affiliate Multicultural Communications Award: Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling for “It Takes Community to Overcome Problem Gambling”

• Corporate Multicultural Communications Award: Oregon Lottery for “Multi-cultural Digital/Print Media Marketing Campaign”

• Affiliate Awareness Campaign Impact Award: The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling for the “ECPG Gift Responsibly Winter Campaign”

• Corporate Awareness Campaign Impact Award: The Virginia Lottery for “Scratchers for Kids? Scratch That Idea”

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• Affiliate People’s Choice Award: Illinois Council on Problem Gambling for “Are You Really Winning?”

• Corporate People’s Choice Award: Ohio for Responsible Gambling for their “More Than A Bet” Campaign

NCPG has congratulated this year’s award recipients and thanked them for their dedication to advancing prevention, treatment, research, recovery, and responsible gambling.