ALTON — City officials will discuss updating Alton’s video gaming ordinance at its committee of the whole meeting planned at 6 p.m. Monday in city hall.
Changes in Illinois law this summer will allow businesses offering video gaming to increase their number of terminals from five to six. Alton officials on Monday will discuss bringing the city’s ordinance in line with the change in the state law.
As of July 31, there were 139 video gaming terminals in Alton. That number is expected to drop to 134 on Sept. 1 when Riverbend Billiards and Grill closes.
Currently, 20 Alton businesses have the five-machine maximum allowed by state law. According to the Illinois Gaming Board, a little more than $7 million was played at video gaming machines in Alton during July, providing the city with $26,181.77 in revenue.
The change in the state law also allows truck stops to have up to 10 video gaming machines and raises the maximum bet from $2 to $4. Individual locations also can create jackpots up to $10,000.
