According to a new report from the Legislature's bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability via the Chicago Sun-Times, gambling revenue in the last fiscal year totaled slightly more than $1 billion, a 4.5 percent decrease from last year and the lowest figures for legalized gambling in Illinois in the past 10 years. more ›

In almost two years, most Chicagoans have become accustomed to the smoking ban. When heading just across the border to Indiana, it even feels weird to be indoors while some folks light up. While some bars in the area have either found ways to skirt the ban or ignored it, most Cook County establishments have done their best to comply with the law. The Southtown Star reports that smoking violation complaints have dropped from 682 last year to 270 this year. more ›

As casino revenues fall across the nation, they're falling even faller in Illinois and casino execs are blaming the state's smoking ban for the drop instead of the tanking economy. Many gambling states are reporting revenue drops of five to seven percent, but Illinois' casino revenue is down a whopping 20.3 percent, which translates to $150-160 million. Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, has been claiming all along revenues would be down with the smoking ban in effect:

There's a high correlation between smokers and gambling. Although the number of people coming to the casinos is about the same, the time they spend inside is down. They're outside smoking. And in this business, if you're not putting money in the machine or on the table—time is money.

New reports show visits to Illinois' nine casinos for 2008 is down by almost a million visitors compared to the same time period (January through August) in 2007. Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, blames the smoking ban that went into effect in January, saying the ban is, "having a major impact...[gamblers] are spending less time on the machines. They'll play for two hours and then take a half-hour break." According to the Illinois Gaming Board, adjust gross receipts are down 18 percent while the state share of admission and wagering taxes is down over 25 percent. Right. We're sure it's all about the smoking and has nothing to do with the economic turmoil that's been worsening throughout the year. more ›

">he also smokes! He even believes the smoking ban was never "intended to limit artistic expression. It would be wise for us to ... allow theater productions to obtain a special waiver when smoking is a critical component of their performance." While Reilly wants the cast of to be able to light up, as scripted, Alderman Ed Smith (28th) disagrees, and the council specifically did not approve an exemption to the ban for live theater. more ›

Bar patrons in the rural Illinois town of Taylorville continue to light up in their local taverns, despite the smoking moratorium that took effect on January 1 of this year. In other words, ban shman. more ›

A bike-rental program may be in the works....[S-T] more ›

Ah, the smoking ban. Home to lots of hearty discussions. Since January, proprietors and patrons have been either meekly complying with or blatantly ignoring the ban, while some just snicker at the smokers miserably standing outside in the cold.
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Here's something about the smoking ban that few have thought about. Now that smokers have to go outside, that stale cigarette smoke no longer masks your natural funky must. All that money you've been spending on squares could have gone toward deodorants and other notions. more ›

Love for the Hopleaf is easy to generate, despite it being one of those Yogi Berra joints - so crowded, no one goes there. This is especially true in this post-smoking ban era, now that people can actually (gasp) eat in the front section without getting choked out by massive clouds of carcinogens. It's been years since we started going to Hopleaf for Kwak and mussels, but only recently discovered the massive amounts of awesome that constitutes an order of CB&J. more ›

Image credit: Nature abhors a vacuum more ›

There are "Adult Fans Of Lego" out there? Really? Actually, we find that kind of awesome. Happy Birthday Lego! more ›

So how's the smoking ban going so far? Y'know, other than cold? Well, Helen's Two Way Lounge on Fullerton nabbed the coveted title of First Bar to be Cited by a City Inspector. (The bar owner got off on a technicality.) But maybe people would be more willing to step outside if bars has "smoking shelters." more ›

href="http://londonist.com/2008/01/6_years_on_amne.php">Amnesty International bringing Guantanamo Bay to the American embassy to raise the profile of the continuing campaign to close the detention center.

So it's week three of the Statewide smoking ban. How's everyone holding up? Apparently well, since there has been a shockingly low number of violations, 54, in the city so far. We suspect that's partially due to the fact that it takes a number of complaints before the city will actually send someone out to issue a citation, but mostly we think it's because people are quick to adapt and have just moved the party outdoors. At some point things will loosen up, and much like New York, some bars will begin to quietly allow smoking. Certain establishments with covered patios have already begun allowing folks to smoke in those spaces since they're technically outdoors. So look for more loosening of the rules along those lines. more ›

Smokers, meet Winter. Winter, smokers. Timed perfectly with a bone-chilling cold, Illinois's smoking ban went into effect at midnight, Jan. 1. more ›

The clock is winding down for drinkers who enjoy a cigarette with their booze. The Smoke-Free Illinois Act is set to go into effect at midnight on Jan. 1, 2008. Illinois will officially join the list of states that have banned smoking in almost all indoor spaces. Besides bars, Illinoisans will not be allowed to smoke in such cigarette bastions as factory floors, stadiums, casinos, and prisons. more ›

Behold, Outside the Loop Radio's year in review special, featuring yours truly, Steve Rhodes of The Beachwood Reporter and Dave Schalliol of Gapers Block. more ›

Countdown to Smoke-Out 2008! In case you forgot, or were outside smoking when someone shared the news, come January 1 there will be no more smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants, casinos, dorms, stadiums and anywhere else that is inside, aside from personal homes and cars. more ›

...than Ed Smith's video blog? As alderman of the West Side's 28th Ward, Smith has a reputation as (sort of) an independent. Coming into office with Harold Washington in 1983, Smith was behind the smoking ban, has pushed for federal prosecution of former police commander Jon Burge, and generally annoys Mayor Daley. Now he wants to be Cook County Recorder of Deeds. As The Reader's Mick Dumke pointed out, this election may be the Year... more ›

The smoking ban isn't just for bars anymore (well ... yet): The Chicago Park District wants to ban smoking on beaches and in playgrounds, too. And it looks like the plan will be approved by Wednesday, so run over to the playground and start puffing while you still can. The ban isn't just about keeping second-hand smoke away from the kiddies: It's environmental, too. Apparently you can collect 10,000 cigarette butts an hour cleaning up... more ›

Oak Forest officials just realized one unseemly result of the state-wide smoking ban set to take effect January 1: throngs of angry, drunk, cold smokers loitering outside bars. In order to avoid an uprising, or at least to steer clear of unsightly smokers’ tents popping up on their well-tended streets, the local council is taking up the issue. Aldermen are looking into setting rules for would-be structures that may pop up 15 feet away from... more ›

The Mayor's Office and the Office of Inspector General have differing opinions on who should monitor city hiring practices. A newly signed deal ensures Illinois is Pepsi country for the next ten years. Albertson's, the parent company that owns Jewel Food stores, is one of the supermarket companies involved in the recall of botulism-tainted French-cut green beans. When the statewide indoor smoking ban goes into effect in January, the "cigar-at-a-steakhouse" dudes might have to... more ›

While SFist cringed at the fatal dose of crime littering the Bay Area, it found solace in Hillary Clinton's San Francisco campaign headquarters opening, which featured loads of exposed mammary glands. In other news, SF Taxi Commission ruled that Satan's cab must keep its (in)famous medallion number, 666; and in an un-fashion-forward frenzy, San Francisco Fashion Week (chortle) bars bloggers from covering and getting smashed at their shows and parties, respectively. Also, they found a... more ›

Yeah, we know that this should have been weighed on yesterday, but better late than never. But you have to love the smoking ban that Governor Blagojevich signed into law Monday. If you're a non-smoker, that is. If you're a slave to the P-Funk, red apples, Camels, Virginia Slims, Newports and all others, you're probably cursing the Governor through smoky breath and receding gums. Governor Blagojevich signed the bill into law at Northwestern Memorial in... more ›

There's so much going on across the Ist-a-Verse that it's almost impossible to keep track these days. Fortunately, we do it so you don't have to! Londonist took a walk through Oliver Twist's London, thanks to a gorgeous map layer for Google Earth. They also caught up with modern-day fictional London, with the Fantastic Four and 28 Weeks Later. It was a week of insanity over at DCist. They started the week off with... more ›

State lawmakers passed a law yesterday that will ban smoking in bars, restaurants and other public workplaces across Illinois. The law passed fairly easily with a vote of 73-42, and Governor Blagojevich has said that he will likely sign the law. The ban will go into effect on January 1, 2008, making Illinois the 19th state to ban smoking. The law's intent was to clear up the random patchwork of no-smoking laws throughout Illinois (resulting... more ›

Just in case you were outside smoking when the news came on, we wanted to remind everyone that the Cook County smoking ban took effect today. more ›

Between fake terrorist alerts and scandals big and small, this just might be the best Best of the -ists ever. We're exhausted just thinking about it. First up, SFist, who saw their little 'ole site be the center of what was a nice little scandal (even getting their editor on TV) only to find their scandal dwarfed by the even bigger scandal caused by their Mayor boffing one of his aides' wife. We're not... more ›

Texas is thawing, the Northeast is freezing, and a sort of natural order seems almost restored to the Ist-A-Verse. Almost. Londonist HQ—that is to say, the city of London—was battered by heavy winds, making it a bad time to be a twelve-meter (nearly forty-foot) tall snowman. Still, not everyone decided to keep warmly covered. Meanwhile, back indoors, the Big Brother racism is now causing all kinds of headaches for international diplomats, and Londonist got into... more ›