Opinion: East St. Louis can’t afford Illinois’ sports-betting tax gamble
As mayor of East St. Louis, I have spent years advocating for the economic development our city has historically lacked — development that helps fund community services and meet local needs.
Critical investment in our city was the primary reason I supported the legalization of sports betting in Illinois and the development of Casino Queen in East St. Louis. The expansion of gaming was a lifeline — a chance to create new economic opportunities fueled by tourism, new hotels, bustling restaurants and the kind of tax revenue that could build a better future for our struggling city.
But the promise of economic benefits for our area is not playing out as hoped. The recent legalization of sports betting in Missouri, combined with Illinois’ aggressive tax structure on the sports-betting industry, is putting what was once a vibrant tourism opportunity in parts of Illinois that sorely need it on life support.
When Missouri entered the legal sports-betting market last December, Illinois had already doubled down on tax hikes over the past two years, including a 2024 graduated tax and a 2025 per-wager tax that imposed a player tax on every bet placed.
Those tax realities mean not only are Missourians no longer coming to Illinois to bet, but sports fans here can take a short drive across the border and wager without those added costs.
Recent data show fans are taking notice, with a 93% drop in Missouri players traveling to Illinois to bet since their state launched legal sports betting.
Even worse, data from the Illinois Gaming Board show steep declines in activity at Casino Queen since Missouri’s legalization on Dec. 1. From December 2025 through February 2026, wagers at Casino Queen fell 63% and handle fell 57% from the year before — translating to a $7.9 million decline compared with December 2024 through February 2025.
We have effectively gone from welcoming Missouri bettors on game day with open arms to watching our own residents cross the border to spend their money outside Illinois.
It’s no surprise. The economics for Illinois fans have been brutal. A $1 bet placed on our side of the Mississippi River now carries a 50-cent tax — 50% — simply because it is placed in Illinois.
Meanwhile, local news stories have detailed an influx of activity at Missouri bars, which are seeing new benefits and bustling with the energy we expected to see here in Illinois.
While other states are seeing growth in sports-betting revenue, Illinois is now seeing declines in this vital source of funding as residents seek to avoid higher taxes.
Illinois’ aggressive taxation on sports betting is threatening to send our own players across the river for good, and my city is poised to lose big.
Players are shifting their habits. The economic benefits to our communities are disappearing. And tax revenues are poised to follow.
Illinois policymakers must wake up: We’re no longer the only game in town.