Rockford poker players may no longer have to drive to Elgin to find a game. Thanks to state lawmakers, video gambling is now legal in Illinois.

Right now at BJ's Place gaming machines are just for fun, but owner Bob Parvin is hoping to exchange them for real ones to bring in some extra revenue.

"The way the economy has been and with the smoking ban and all the hits we've had this would be a chance for us to get some of that back." says Parvin, who is also the president of the Northern Illinois License and Beverage Association.

But gaming opponents vow not to give up without a fight.

"Who's going to take care of the families of the people who can not stop putting money into these machines?" says Stanley Campbell, director of Rockford Urban Ministries.

Campbell helped organize an anti-gambling coalition called "Enough is Enough." Now he's pushing for city council to ban these gaming machines. But Alderman Lenny Jacobson says Rockford needs the $125 million these machines will generate.

"What are you going to cut? You bring these resolutions to the city council floor, where is your thinking? Are you going to cut the Rockford medical school? Are you going to cut the Rock Valley College education classrooms? Are you going to cut the street program?" says Jacobson.

Campbell says local gamblers will lose more money than the city will take in.

"Most of the money is going right into the pockets of the machine operators and the state. Rockford will get a very small cut." adds Campbell.

Unless city council bans it, the arrival of video gaming in Rockford is a sure bet.

The Rockford city council Code and Regulations Committee will be discussing the ban Monday night. If the measure fails Rockford would likely see video poker machines popping up in about 12 to 18 months.

Even though video gambling is now legal in Illinois, cities and counties can choose to ban them. That means they will become legal unless a municipality takes action against it.

Rockford Urban Ministries is holding a program examining the effects of video and casino gambling in Illinois later this month. State gaming board member Gene Winkler will be speaking at the event and all are invited to attend. The program takes place on Thursday, January 28th at 7 pm at Christ United Methodist Church at 4509 Highcrest Rd.