Will Oak Lawn cash in big on video gambling machines in local bars?

Oak Lawn is debating whether to allow video gambling in local bars and restaurants. But will the village make any money off this?

Oak Lawn could get $540,000 in tax revenue from the machines, according to Back to Work Illinois, a civic and labor group. That assumes every business that holds one of the 48 liquor licenses in town installs the maximum five gaming machines, reports Casey Cora in his On the Lawn blog.

Says Mayor Dave Heilmann: "My personal belief is that it's not the way you should try to get revenue ... I'm just not a big fan of it."