The Illinois Casino Gaming Association (ICGA) is a not-for-profit organization representing eight of nine riverboat gaming operations in Illinois.  (Industry data includes all nine casinos). Together, these businesses are the entertainment of choice for millions of people, recording over 15.3 million visits each year. We are active corporate citizens who provide a huge boost to local and state economies.

The casino gaming industry provides nearly 8,600 jobs to Illinois citizens, and every year injects more than $1 billion into the state's economy, including nearly $630 million for schools. In 2005, we spent nearly $133 million with local vendors and suppliers and stimulate tourism, attracting numerous out-of-state visits a year to our communities.

Illinois casinos are dedicated to the communities where they do business, as well as to Illinois as a whole. In 2005, casinos donated more than $24.6 million to charities and civic projects across the state. In addition, ICGA actively promotes responsible gaming as a funder of 1-800-GAMBLER, a 24/7 help line and referral service for problem gamblers, and is a supporter of other programs aiding those impacted by problem gaming.

We invite you to take a moment to read about the casino industry's contributions to Illinois. Together, we look forward to continuing to help foster the growth of our communities.