Gaming Board Won't Let Casinos Stay Open 24 Hours

The Illinois Gaming Board has decided not to allow the state's 10 casinos to operate around the clock.

Gaming board spokesman Gene O'Shea says the decision was announced during a meeting Thursday by board chairman Aaron Jaffe.

A casino trade group had hoped to get permission for casinos to stay open 24 hours a day instead of the 22 hours they can operate now.

O'Shea says the Illinois Casino Gaming Association has argued that letting the casinos stay open might prevent gamblers from leaving the state to continue gamble during the two hours that Illinois casinos are closed.

He also says the group wanted 24-hour gambling so the casinos could compete against the recently legalized video gambling machines at truck stops, which operate 24 hours a day.