MORE GAMBLING CONCESSIONS IN ILLINOIS

Once again gambling interests have succeeded in getting what they want.

Last week in Illinois the Senate reversed course and sent the governor a bill that would let riverboat casinos in that state dock permanently. It also would open Cook County in the Chicago area to casino gambling and give tax breaks and a share of casino revenues to the state's horse-racing business, which has lost customers to riverboat casinos. Gov. George Ryan is expected to sign the legislation, which poses the most significant changes in Illinois gambling laws since riverboat casinos were legalized in 1990.

Illinois voters were told then that riverboats would offer economic aid for depressed river towns. The casino interests said tourists would visit the boats to have dinner and perhaps play a little blackjack as they cruised the river on an old-fashioned paddle-wheeler.

Sound familiar? Promoters of riverboat gambling told Missouri voters the same things and more, and now gambling takes place on moored boats that never sail, making it much more convenient for an increasing number of heavy and problem gamblers to come and go as they please.

Gambling is a big business in Missouri and has become big in Illinois as well -- so big that a casino probably will go up in Rosemont near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

With the history of corruption in Chicago, that's just what that city needs.