When it comes to Illinois gambling, you can thank state lawmakers that many corner taverns and fraternal organizations throughout the state have video gambling machines. But Fairmount Park won’t have those moneymakers — although all other racetracks in Illinois will — if either version of state Rep. Bob Rita’s gambling expansion bill gets approved. What, that doesn’t seem fair? Rita isn’t interested in fair. He’s interested in getting a casino for Chicago. And he has decided that a bill will have a better chance of passage without video gambling at Fairmount Park than with it. You see, East St. Louis…

From Card Player A bill that would have approved casino gambling expansion has failed to make it out of the Illinois House spring session. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been pressing for casino gambling expansion since last summer, saying casino gambling revenue will pay for education, but Gov. Pat Quinn has requested that lawmakers include a comprehensive pension reform plan in the bill before he’ll consider passing it. “I will never, ever sign a gaming expansion absent comprehensive pension reform,” Gov. Quinn said. The bill would have approved a Las Vegas-style casino for the city of Chicago and given complete…

Efforts behind Illinois gambling expansion are losing ground at the Capitol as the plan’s new sponsor clashes with Gov. Pat Quinn, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle angles for a piece of the action. Rep. Robert Rita, who started shepherding the casino bill in the House last week, angrily disputed comments by the governor’s hand-picked chief gambling regulator, Aaron Jaffe, who suggested Chicago be taken out of the legislation. Rita suggested a separate vote on a Chicago casino would kill gambling expansion. “Is this (Jaffe’s) comments? Is this the governor? Where did these comments come from,” said Rita, D-Blue…

The Illinois Senate on Wednesday approved a gambling expansion bill that allows a new casino in Chicago, four new casinos elsewhere and video gambling at horse-racing tracks. The measure passed 32-20 in the Senate and now goes to the House. If approved there, it would need the governor’s signature. Senate Bill 1739 is similar to bills passed by the General Assembly in 2011 and 2012. Those bills were rejected by Gov. Pat Quinn, who said he wanted any gambling expansion to include more safeguards against corruption. The measure would allow a new casino in Chicago as well as new casinos…