When Gov. Rod Blagojevich was pushing a massive gambling expansion in 2007, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn urged him to hold true to their election pledge and back off the deal.

Now that Gov. Quinn is in control and facing massive budget pressures, he has signaled his willingness to allow video poker machines in nearly every bar, truck stop, club and VFW hall across the state - a move that would more than quadruple the number of wagering games in Illinois.

Lawmakers could vote on video poker - labeled by Blagojevich as the "crack cocaine" of gambling - as early as today as the backbone of a package to raise billions of dollars for public works projects.

As the measure advances, voters are hearing a very different Quinn than they did over the six years before he became governor.

"You remember, as I do, our campaign pledge - made in 2002 and repeated in 2006 - to oppose any large-scale expansion of gambling in our state," Quinn wrote in a letter to Blagojevich as he pushed new casinos in 2007. "We should ask for (the voters') guidance before we take steps to make Illinois the Las Vegas of the Midwest."

Recently, Quinn said he is considering breaking that campaign promise to make a deal with legislative leaders that would bring tens of thousands of jobs to the state.

"It is no fun to look at it, but you have to have jobs," Quinn told reporters after a budget speech Monday.

That is essentially the same argument made by Blagojevich back in 2007, which Quinn wrote against.

"A public policy issue of this magnitude requires a clear mandate from the voters of Illinois," he penned.

The video poker legislation appears to be moving quickly through the legislature, gaining support from legislative leaders and passing a key House committee.

The measure would allow up to three video poker machines in bars and five at truck stops and VFW halls. Up to 25 percent of a gambler's losses would go into the state budget, less than the 33 percent effectively taken by the state last year from existing casino gambling.

The machines could bring the state as much as $369 million from lost bets, proponents say. Quinn has been trying to solve a nearly $12 billion deficit in the state budget.

The plan does allow for voters to ban the machines in their town through a referendum, but it has a relatively high threshold. Even to get that question on the ballot, 25 percent of registered voters would have to sign a petition.

That also seems to fly in the face of Quinn's long-held doctrine of opening up government to the people by referendum, and opponents argue it would make it difficult for voters to reject the video poker machines.

"I think that is the intent," said state Rep. Paul Froehlich, a Schaumburg Democrat who opposes the measure.

When asked about his previous opposition to gambling expansion, Quinn said legalizing the machines may actually lead to fewer of them in the state, as video poker exists illegally in scores of bars and clubs already.

"It is not something you are excited about," Quinn said, "but I'm going to look at it."

Arlington Park officials, who have tried to get permission to install slot machines at the Arlington Heights track, have lined up in opposition to the plan as it now stands. But suburban casinos remain uncommitted as details of the legislation appeared in flux late Tuesday.

Supporters include video poker machine manufacturers and bar owners.

Anti-gambling forces are highlighting Quinn's campaign promise and his openness to breaking it as they fight the video poker measure.

"If this goes down with video poker, there is no reform," said Tom Grey, spokesman for the Stop Predatory Gambling Foundation, as he left a meeting with Quinn Tuesday.

Deal: Video poker exists illegally already, Quinn says