Illinois counts on bad habits to raise $3.47B in sin taxes

By Dylan Sharkey

12/31/2025

Whether your vice is drinking, tobacco, cannabis or gambling, Illinois is enjoying $3.47 billion from taxing it.

Holiday scratch-off tickets surpass $2 billion in sales

By Dylan Sharkey

12/18/2024

Holiday scratch-off tickets are a popular stocking stuffer. Illinoisans dropped about $2 billion on tickets in a year, and it’s the biggest moneymaker for the Illinois Lottery.

Holiday scratch-offs are no gift to Illinois schools

By Patrick Andriesen

12/18/2022

A closer look at Illinois’ lottery legislation shows lawmakers historically diverted funding away from the classroom. Despite recent legislation, outsized holiday scratcher sales still only translate to slight gains for public schools.

TAGS: illinois lottery

Chicago casino revenue doesn’t address 91% of city pension debt

By Dylan Sharkey

05/31/2022

The Chicago City Council approved a casino development in the River West neighborhood. The generated revenue will exclusively pay for pension debt, but only an estimated 9% of what the city needs.

TAGS: casino, Chicago, pension reform

Holiday scratch-offs are no gift to Illinois schools

By Dylan Sharkey

12/13/2021

Some states promote holiday scratchers as a way to help schools, but in Illinois that claim would land you on the naughty list.

TAGS: illinois lottery

Pritzker hints at $7 million COVID-19 vaccine lottery

By Patrick Andriesen

06/04/2021

Illinoisans are not getting COVID-19 vaccinations at the rate they once were, so Gov. J.B. Pritzker may turn to cash prizes through a vaccine lottery to boost immunizations.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Holiday scratch-offs win bupkis for Illinois students

12/23/2020

Anyone betting those lottery tickets they gifted will help education would lose.

TAGS: education, illinois lottery, pensions, public schools

Think those Illinois Lottery tickets help schoolkids? Think again

By Adam Schuster

12/20/2019

Lawmakers sold the idea of a lottery with the promise the money would go toward education. But in reality, students never see the money.

TAGS: illinois lottery, progressive income tax

Power in payments: Illinois can help unbanked residents, save money by adopting best practices in payment methods

11/21/2019

Each year, tens of billions of dollars flow through Illinois state government.1 These flows all depend on methods of payment. In deciding on those payment methods, policymakers must consider a number of important factors, including security controls, cost effectiveness, accessibility, speed and allowance for choice. This report shows that by adopting best practices across all...

5 broken tax promises show why Illinois voters distrust Pritzker’s ‘fair tax’

By Adam Schuster

11/03/2019

From the lottery, to the tollway, to two “temporary” income tax hikes, Illinois politicians have a history of broken promises about how they tax and spend residents’ money.

TAGS: fair tax, JB Pritzker, lottery, progressive income tax, tollway

Illinois State Lottery

Illinois counts on bad habits to raise $3.47B in sin taxes

Holiday scratch-off tickets surpass $2 billion in sales

Holiday scratch-offs are no gift to Illinois schools

Chicago casino revenue doesn’t address 91% of city pension debt

Holiday scratch-offs are no gift to Illinois schools

Pritzker hints at $7 million COVID-19 vaccine lottery

Holiday scratch-offs win bupkis for Illinois students

Think those Illinois Lottery tickets help schoolkids? Think again

Power in payments: Illinois can help unbanked residents, save money by adopting best practices in payment methods

5 broken tax promises show why Illinois voters distrust Pritzker’s ‘fair tax’

Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students