Illinois Gaming Board Mask Requirement
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Video gaming allowed in parts of Pekin
PEKIN, Ill. (HOI) — Video gaming will now be allowed in several Pekin establishments.
Council members unanimously approved an ordinance Monday night, allowing video gaming in restaurants, taverns, clubs, or fraternal organizations.
Video parlors would also be allowed on property zoned in a general business district.
This plan was unanimously approved by the city’s planning commission back on June 9th.
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June 29, 2021 at 06:32AM
Video gaming may be coming to Maryville
Two gamblers try their luck on the slot machines inside Bubby and Sissy’s bar on Belle Street in Alton in 2019.John Badman/Hearst Newspapers
MARYVILLE — Imagine hitting the slots while sipping a cold, frosty adult beverage or trying your luck at a one-arm bandit during a visit to your favorite Maryville establishment. Those possibilities may soon become realities.
Mayor Craig Short said Wednesday the village board of trustees called a special meeting for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 30 to vote on video gaming before the Independence Day holiday weekend.
Short and the trustees also discussed the issue during a caucus meeting on June 9. Remember that caucus meetings, on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, are where discussions take place, but no voting happens. The ordinance would repeal the prohibition chapter of video gaming first then adopt a new chapter approving the activity.
There are several places in the village that are currently not applicable, such as a licensed fraternal or veterans’ establishment and truck stops.
Where video gaming occurs will be driven by liquor licenses. Lyle’s Tavern, Bella Vista, Boogie’s, Mariachi’s Mexican Restaurant and now, Plan, Shop, Live Kitchen, all have liquor licenses.
The new act will only apply to bars (Class A); social clubs (Class B); and restaurants (Class D). These license holders must have been in operation and good standing with the village for at least 12 months. At present, the village has two Class A license holders, no Class B license holders and now, three Class D license holders, Short said.
He added that the village’s code on this is less restrictive than O’Fallon’s. That town makes businesses of good standing with liquor licenses wait 24 months before applying for a video gaming license.
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June 17, 2021 at 04:36PM
Tinley Park OKs 1-cent tax on video gambling
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Tinley Park officials have approved a penny-per-play tax on video gambling terminals that will take effect next spring. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
Tinley Park officials have approved a penny-per-play tax on video gambling machines, a move delayed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 1-cent tax for each push or play on a video gambling terminal will go into effect April 30, 2022, under the ordinance approved Tuesday by the Village Board.
It is similar to Oak Lawn’s pay-to-play tax that took effect Jan. 1, 2020.
The tax would fall on gamblers, but the owners of the machines, which are companies separate from the restaurant or bar where the devices are located, would be put in the position of tax collectors.
Tinley Park has studied the tax since March of last year, before the pandemic brought on orders for nonessential businesses, including video gambling, to suspend operations.
Initially, video gambling was halted from March 16 through the end of last June, then again from Nov. 20 through mid-January of this year, according to the state gaming board.
As of the end of May, there were 195 video gambling terminals at 37 locations in Tinley Park, according to the gaming board.
For all of May, gamblers spent nearly $5.2 million at those machines, and the village realized revenue from the existing tax on gaming of almost $66,400, according to the state board.
For all of 2020, $27.1 million was spent at video terminals in the village, with Tinley Park receiving tax revenue of just under $344,200.
It’s not clear how much the new 1-cent tax would generate, and, under the ordinance, revenue generated would be used to “promote the general health, safety and welfare” of the village and “provide adequate funds to offset the adverse effects of gambling within the village.”
In March of last year, after Oak Lawn’s tax took effect, the Illinois Gaming Machine Operators Association sued in Cook County Circuit Court, challenging the constitutionality of the tax and saying it violates state video gaming laws. That case is still pending.
Harlem-Vollmer annexation
Trustees gave initial approval Tuesday to annexing 111 acres at the northeast of Harlem Avenue and Vollmer Road, now in unincorporated Cook County.
The site is directly north of an Amazon fulfillment center under construction in Matteson, and Indianapolis-based Scannell Properties is proposing a phased development of up to 1.3 million square feet of industrial space for warehousing and distribution on the site Tinley Park.
A rendering of an industrial development proposed at the northeast corner of Harlem Avenue and Vollmer Road at a site Tinley Park seeks too annex. (Village of Tinley Park)
The village has scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. June 29 on the annexation, and final approval is expected by the Village Board following the hearing.
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Up to three buildings could be constructed, and the first would be just under 200,000 square feet and be located at the north end of the site, according to initial plans. Scannell plans that to be a speculative building, with no designated tenant lined up to occupy it.
It would have 24 loading docks and outside space for storing up to 50 trailers.
A second building, directly south of the first one, would be about 605,000 square feet, and a third building would be 462,000 square feet, according to the proposal. Those two buildings could be combined, however.
The entire property would be accessible at three locations along Harlem, including at the stoplight at Benton Drive, and there would also be access from Vollmer, according to plans.
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June 16, 2021 at 01:54PM
Gov. Pritzker makes official announcement: Illinois to fully reopen tomorrow
The State of Illinois has released the following:
Gov. Pritzker Announces State of Illinois Will Fully Reopen Tomorrow, June 11
State on Track to Meet President Biden’s Goal of 70% of Adults Receiving First Dose of Vaccination by July 4
Illinois Recording the Lowest Number of Hospitalizations and Test Positivity Rates Since March 2020
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois will move to a full reopening, also known as Phase 5, the final phase of the Restore Illinois plan, on Friday, June 11, 2021. On Friday, the state will eliminate all capacity limits on businesses, large-scale events, conventions, amusement parks, and all other venues. Mask requirements for vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals continue to align with CDC guidelines.
The state reaches this point as it records the lowest number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, the lowest test positivity rate, and more than 68% of Illinois residents age 18 and over who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
“A strong economy requires that people not only feel safe, but truly be safe, as they go about their lives as workers, neighbors, consumers, and friends – and thanks to the lifesaving power of vaccinations, that day is finally here for Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I invite all Illinoisans to feel the hope and joy of this moment while also recognizing that this pandemic is still very present for the world at large – not to mention those here at home who have not been or cannot be vaccinated. As we take this next step forward, let’s do so with a renewed commitment to empathy, to community, and to making each day together count. You did it, Illinois.”
Coronavirus in Illinois – Cases, deaths and vaccinations
Today the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting 366 new confirmed and probable cases, 764 people in the hospital with COVID-19, and a test positivity rate of 1.3%. These are some of the lowest COVID-19 statistics reported in Illinois to date. Additionally, IDPH is reporting 209 people with COVID-19 in the ICU and 103 people on ventilators. These are also some of the lowest counts we’ve seen since the pandemic began.
Currently, 11.9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to Illinois residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting more than 68% of residents age 18 and older in Illinois have received at least one dose of vaccine and 51% of adults are fully vaccinated. Additionally, more than 88% of Illinois seniors have received at least one dose of vaccine.
“It is a very exciting time as we reach the point where businesses can operate without capacity limits and we are seeing the return of large events we’ve enjoyed in the past,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “However, it is important to remember that we are still in a world pandemic and not everyone has the protection of one of the safest and most effective vaccines ever. Currently, there is not a vaccine authorized for children younger than 12 years and some adults have chosen not to be vaccinated. For these reasons, it is important for unvaccinated people to continue to wear masks while in public and to socially distance. The virus can continue to spread among unvaccinated individuals, which could lead to additional mutations and new, more virulent variants.”
In accordance with guidance from the CDC, fully vaccinated people in Illinois can resume activities without wearing a mask except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
Consistent with CDC guidance, fully vaccinated and non-vaccinated persons are required to wear a face covering in certain situations including (1) on public transportation, planes, buses, trains, and in transportation hubs such as airports and train and bus stations; (2) in congregate facilities such as correctional facilities and homeless shelters; and (3) in health care settings. Individuals in schools and day cares must also continue to wear face coverings per guidance issued by the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
According to the CDC, it is critical that schools use and layer prevention strategies. Schools providing in-person instruction should prioritize two prevention strategies:
- Universal and correct use of masks should be required; and
- Physical distancing should be maximized to the greatest extent possible.
Municipalities and businesses in most industries may choose to continue to implement public health mitigations as they deem appropriate, including requiring face coverings.
To help businesses recover from the pandemic, the Governor, in partnership with the General Assembly, announced $1.5 billion in funding next year to support business grants, tourism, workforce, affordable housing, violence prevention, capital projects and other investments throughout Illinois. This investment follows the $580 million invested last year for Business Interruption grants to aid businesses in pandemic impacted industries and childcare providers.
“Today’s advancement to Phase 5 is a significant milestone in our work to combat the virus and get the Illinois economy back on track. Through Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, we have continued to lead on testing, vaccines and providing economic relief programs that are essential to supporting the return of workers and businesses amid the pandemic,” said Acting DCEO Director Sylvia Garcia. “Now, as businesses are set to fully reopen across the state, DCEO remains committed to implementing key programs that will not only reinvigorate our small businesses, workforce, and tourism, but that will build back our state’s economy stronger than ever before.” Businesses and communities can learn more about Phase 5 recommended public health practices by visiting IDPH’s website.
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June 10, 2021 at 12:15PM
Gaming machine revenue is bouncing back after taking a hit during the pandemic
QUINCY, IL. (WGEM) — Quincy city officials said when someone spends money at a video gaming machine, roughly three percent comes back to the city in tax revenue and is put toward the fire and police pensions.
Mayor Mike Troup said the city is currently about $100 million behind in paying into police and fire pensions.
He said the revenue the city gets from gaming machines is helpful, but it’s only a drop in the bucket.
“It’s nice to have this as a windfall because the city wasn’t planning on having this money 5 years ago or 10 years ago, so having another funding source is extremely helpful, but we’re going to need significantly more money to properly handle the unfunded liability,” Troup said.
City officials said revenue from the gaming machines went down in 2020 when machines were forced to close due to the pandemic.
All video gaming machines in Illinois were closed from March 16 – June 30, 2020 and November 19, 2020 – January 16, 2021.
The city says the revenue from the machines are already back up to pre-pandemic levels.
For reference, in fiscal year 2019, the city made $528,902 in tax revenue from video gaming machines. Then in fiscal year 2020, the city made $519,919. For fiscal year 2021, the city is up to $596,170.
Max-A-Million’s president Tanner Freiburg said his business has already seen a climb in revenue too.
“January 16th the machines opened back up. We had a really good spring and I think a lot of that is because of the stimulus checks people were getting and now we’re getting back to your traditional numbers,” Freiburg said.
Right now each businesses can have up to five video gaming machines, but the state of Illinois recently increased that to six machines.
Troup said the city plans to discuss whether they’ll allow businesses to go up to six machines sometime this month.
Freiburg said he rarely sees all five machines at his location being used at once, but he thinks adding a sixth machine could only be a good thing for profits.
The post Gaming machine revenue is bouncing back after taking a hit during the pandemic appeared first on WGEM.
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June 8, 2021 at 04:29AM
Bartlett doubling video gambling licensing fee
Bartlett is doubling its annual licensing fee for video gambling machines but making terminal operators pick up most of that cost.
Starting next May, the cost to license each device will jump from $500 a year to $1,000. However, terminal operators will have to pick up $750 of that fee.
Currently, business owners where the machines are located cover the entire cost, village officials said.
Joey Dienberg, a management analyst at the village, said during the budgeting process this year, the board asked to compared Bartlett’s fees to those in neighboring communities.
Dienberg said the village board wanted make sure it was on par with other communities’ but didn’t want to add a hefty burden to local business owners. He told trustees at a recent meeting he didn’t expect pushback from terminal operators because they are already paying similar fees in other communities.
A village survey of neighboring municipalities found fees varied widely. Prospect Heights and Antioch charge a fee of $25 annually, while others, like Rolling Meadows and Wheeling, charge $1,000. Lake Zurich charges $2,600 for a license on top of a $25 terminal fee.
Illinois Gaming Board officials said the agency does not track local terminal license fees.
“It is not within the scope of the Illinois Gaming Board’s authority to involve ourselves in local government decisions,” Joe Miller, director of policy, said.
The village currently has 17 establishments that offer video gambling, with a combined 91 terminals, Dienberg said. According to the village’s 2020 fiscal year audit, video gambling generated a little more than $246,000 in revenue for Bartlett.
Revenue from video gambling is split four ways. The state receives 29% of profits, municipalities get 5% while business owners and terminal operators equally split the remainder.
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June 4, 2021 at 09:00PM
Plano City Council Approves Gaming Licence; Hears Proposal for Another
Ethan KrugerMay 26, 2021 Updated 2 hrs ago
Red Carpet Gaming Cafe on Route 34 west of Ben Street. (WSPYnews.com photo by Ethan Kruger).
The Plano City Council on Monday voted six to two in favor of increasing the number of liquor licenses to accommodate a new video gambling business in a vacant storefront just west of Hale Street on Route 34 run by gaming company Big Win Gaming. During the committee of the whole portion of the meeting, the city council heard a proposal for another video gambling business on Route 34 just west of Ben Street where the now closed Betty’s Place is located that would be called the Red Carpet Gaming Cafe. The proposal sparked discussion about how many gaming parlors should be allowed to operate in Plano.
Voting against granting the licence for Big Win Gaming were Aldermen Jamal Williams and John Fawver. Both said they heard from residents that there are already too many video gambling establishments in Plano. Fawver says he’s not in favor of allowing any additional gaming parlors.
Alderman Barb Nadeau says that certain types of businesses shouldn’t be locked out.
Jack Felkamp is the businessman proposing the new gaming parlor in the former Betty’s building. He says he wants his establishment to be more of a social gathering spot and will serve coffee and pastries in addition to beer and wine which is part of the license to operate a gaming parlor.
The city council agreed to move the item to the agenda for a vote next month.
You can listen to Ethan Kruger’s radio story by clicking below:
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May 26, 2021 at 10:34AM
Pritzker moves state into Bridge Phase
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — The state could fully reopen in just over a month if current trends hold.
Governor Pritzker announced the state is set to enter the bridge phase on Friday, May 14. The bridge phase is a 28-day period that the state needs to move through without a spike in cases before Pritzker fully reopens the state. The new phase comes with increased capacity limits for businesses across the board.
Governor Pritzker joins IDPH Director Dr. Ezike and healthcare providers to give a COVID-19 update. https://t.co/yHUXlBlrJz
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 6, 2021
If current trends hold, the state could fully reopen on June 11th.
Governor Pritzker announced the bridge phase in early April. At the time, the state needed to vaccinate over 70 percent of the 65 and older population, and have over 20 percent ICU bed capacity available.
The state is well past the vaccination goal. Eighty-five percent of people 65 and older in the state have at least one shot, but a rising number of hospitalizations kept the state from moving forward sooner.
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May 6, 2021 at 01:56PM
VGT Backers Emerge As Potential Obstacle To iGaming In Illinois
It is not exactly like the Rise of the Machines from the Terminator film franchise, but an interesting battle may be taking shape in Illinois involving tavern and restaurant owners who operate video game terminals and casinos that desire to expand by offering iGaming.
Legislation has been filed in both chambers of Illinois’ General Assembly to add iGaming to casino and racino offerings. This comes on the heels of a June 2019 capital bill that greatly expanded gaming options — including licenses for six yet-to-be-built casinos and three yet-to-be-built racinos, plus legal sports betting in the Prairie State.
Illinois, though, is also recognized as the nation’s leader when it comes video game terminals (VGTs), which already generate a significant amount of tax revenue at both the state and local levels. During Wednesday’s hearing of the General Assembly’s Executive Committee chaired by Rep. Bob Rita — who filed HB 3142 that would legalize iGaming — two separate panels presented their respective cases.
The case for iGaming in Illinois
There are only six states where iGaming is currently available, with Michigan the most recent to launch in January. The quick success in terms of generating tax revenue in the Wolverine State — the state received $17.2 million from operators in March alone — has been noticed by Illinois legislators. Rep. Daniel Didech presented iGaming as a way to counteract illegal wagering conducted by offshore operators who “pay no taxes, create no jobs and are a significant drain on the Illinois economy.”
He added the illegal websites “create a status quo that is quite dangerous for Illinois customers,” and legalizing iGaming would allow the state to regulate game integrity and “crowd out predatory companies” by making it safer for players and to better help problem gamblers. Didech also pointed out the estimated $100 million in annual tax revenue would support the “many priority initiatives of members of the General Assembly.”
Jeff Kaplan, vice president of Strategic Financial Planning for Penn National Gaming, also voiced support for iGaming. He projected Illinois could receive more tax revenue than Michigan given the state’s larger population and higher median income.
Kaplan also addressed concerns over the potential cannibalization of brick-and-mortar casinos that comes with the discussions of introducing iGaming. He presented online casino wagering as an amenity that adds to his company’s bottom line.
“Prior to the pandemic, we performed an analysis on our customers to determine if there was any cannibalization to our brick-and-mortar revenue and what we found was iGaming was almost entirely complementary to our brick-and-mortar play,” said Kaplan, whose company operates three of the state’s 10 land-based casinos — Hollywood Aurora, Hollywood Joliet, and Argosy Alton.
“In addition, we attracted a different type of customer online as our online database averages 10 years younger than our brick-and-mortar players,” he said. “Due to these factors, we believe iGaming will grow the gaming marketplace and allow us to connect to a new type of player that we may not have attracted to our properties previously.”
Kaplan added those players are getting fed “back to the casino” because those players are in their system’s database and earning rewards points for their play that can be redeemed for food and other services at those establishments.
Butler, VGT stakeholders provide pushback
Though not as attention-grabbing to the public as casino gaming and sports betting, VGTs have been a significant provider of gaming tax revenue in Illinois since the Video Gaming Act was signed in 2009. The nearly 39,000 machines statewide have taken on more importance since the 2019 bill also allowed bars, restaurants, and taverns to install a sixth VGT and enabled truck stops to increase their number of offerings.
In the year’s worth of reports compiled by the Illinois Gaming Board since the state began accepting sports wagers at casinos in March 2020, VGTs have generated nearly $455 million in tax revenue — of which nearly $388 million has gone to the state — from more than $1.3 billion in operator revenue. That figure includes the terminals being turned off for four months covering two separate COVID-19 related closures as well as the inability to offer in-person dining and venues still not operating at 100% capacity.
By comparison, casinos have generated more than $103 million in state taxes from $577.2 million in revenue, with sports betting raising an additional $31 million from $208.8 million in revenue in that same timeframe.
Rep. Tim Butler, whose district spans from just north of Springfield to Peoria, pointed out the lobbyists who back iGaming did not account for the growth in VGTs across the state in the past decade and how “mom and pop businesses that are not casinos depend on revenue from VGTs.” He added the current partnership that provides tax revenues to local communities is a “unique combination.”
In a separate panel that dealt exclusively with VGT issues, Dan Klossner, the executive director of the Illinois Licensed Beverage Association, expressed concern about iGaming regarding access by minors and problem gamblers. “We, in our locations where we control for a 21-and-over age patron, already handle those concerns,” he pointed out.
Klossner also touched on a key point for the service industry — the challenge of getting people to return to bars, restaurants, and taverns where VGTs are located as more of the public get vaccinated. Klossner cited “‘FOGO,’ the fear of going out,” and suggested that internet gaming would be a deterrent to helping those businesses get back to full strength.
Executive Director for Illinois Gaming Machine Operators Ivan Fernandez added the VGTs also help provide indirect sales tax for the state since people who play VGTs also often dine and drink at those establishments.
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April 30, 2021 at 08:56AM
Edwardsville to poll residents about video gaming on April 6
EDWARDSVILLE — Amid all of the candidates in next month’s election, there are two referendums for Edwardsville voters, too, one binding and one not.
A proposition about video gaming is non-binding while a second proposition about whether to fold the city treasurer position into the finance director position will require at least 50.1 percent of the vote to pass. City Treasurer Rich Hampton is retiring this spring.
City Attorney Jeff Berkbigler said the council wants to poll city residents to find out what they think before the council would possibly consider expanding video gaming to class B and class C liquor licensees with more than 50 percent of revenue from on-premises alcoholic liquor consumption. There are at least 54 businesses in town with those types of liquor licenses.
“They passed the resolution to try to get a verdict from the public,” Berkbigler told an Intelligencer reporter Wednesday. “If there’s an overwhelming number of people who approve of it, the council will take action to expand video gaming to restaurants and bars.”
The ballot idea came from Mayor Hal Patton, who requested it after the city council voted 4-3 in September to uphold the city’s long-standing video gaming ban. City aldermen agreed to put video gaming on the ballot last October.
After a 5-2 vote in favor last November, only class D liquor license holders, the American Legion Post #199 and the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge, are currently permitted to allow video gambling.
The proposition will read: “Shall the City of Edwardsville allow video gambling in bars (Class B and C liquor licensees with over 50% of revenue from on premises alcoholic liquor consumption) in the City?”
One thing that may work against the referendum is that April elections tend to have low turnouts.
Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735
via The Edwardsville Intelligencer
March 17, 2021 at 09:36PM
