Illinois passed a bill in 2012 permitting live video gaming locations to open in the state; however Palatine Village residents did not make a decision on video gambling locations until April 8, 2015. An unofficial election was held in Palatine to see if residents would be interested in allowing places with liquor licenses to have video gambling. The Cook County Clerk Office shows a record of 61% of voters giving the decision a “nay.”

Officials of the village felt more residents would show up to vote their approval or objection. Local businesses told media they are disappointed that residents are against the machines and now customers may go to nearby towns to spend money so they can gamble. Slightly less than 11% of registered voters in the area showed up at the polls, deciding the measure for the other 89.31%.

Some groups have been quite vocal in their opposition to the so called, “casino cafes“, yet many municipalities have overturned their initial objections, or modified them to to exclude such places as truck stops while still allowing other businesses to operate the machines.

See all  results for the  April 07, 2015 Consolidated General Election in Cook County, Illinois.