The year ended up being the best for gambling tax collections.
Eleven Darien restaurants and bars have video gambling machines. The one making the most money with its machines is Stella’s. (David Giuliani/Patch)
DARIEN, IL – Darien collected nearly $285,000 in video gambling money last year, excluding December.
That number is 9 percent above the income during the entire year of 2021, which was almost $260,000.
Overall, though, 2022’s income was nearly 30 percent higher than 2019’s, according to state numbers.
In Illinois, 5 percent of video gambling proceeds go to local governments.
Eleven restaurants and bars in Darien have video gambling machines. The top five city tax generators in 2022, excluding December, were Stella’s ($63,527), Dotty’s ($50,634), Zazzo’s Pizza ($35,306), Q Bar ($30,306) and Darien VFW ($26,623).
Darien has used sources such as video gambling money to help keep its property tax levy the same for more than a decade. In 2020, gambling tax collections plunged in Darien, with the city getting $136,324. Because of the pandemic, the state suspended video gambling for five months that year.
Many suburbs do not allow video gambling. They include Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, La Grange, Western Springs and Elmhurst.
Here’s what Darien collected in video gambling money over the last decade:
The City Council is looking at raising fees for businesses with video gambling machines, and demand continues for liquor licenses that allow the machines, from a file photo. (Lathan Goumas)
DIXON – The City Council is looking at raising fees for businesses with video gambling machines, and demand continues for liquor licenses that allow the machines.
In Dixon, there are 168 video gambling terminals across 30 locations, Mayor Li Arellano said during Monday’s City Council meeting.
He said he’s been approached by many businesses wanting a pour liquor license that would allow them to install a video gambling area such as Snyders Pharmacy and several area gas stations.
The council will need to discuss possibly increasing the number of available licenses, but the city’s only way to curb video gambling and gambling parlors is through limiting the number of licenses, he said.
Council members also discussed increasing fees for the terminals and looking at earmarking gambling revenue the city receives for improvement projects. Gambling has generated more than $272,000 during the current fiscal year.
Arellano said the amount of revenue gambling generates is shocking, and the council has focused in the past on limiting the spread of gambling locations.
West Chicago overturned its 2010 ban on video gambling Monday in a 9-to-5 city council vote. Pictured is the video gambling area of a restaurant in another town. Scott C. Morgan | Staff Photographer)
The West Chicago City Council voted 9 to 5 on Monday in favor of allowing video gambling. Proponents of overturning the city ban pointed out that every municipality surrounding West Chicago has allowed video gambling, and that the city’s businesses needed to have a level playing field to compete. Opponents cited a 2018 city referendum when 69 percent of voters chose to opt out of video gambling, which was made legal in Illinois in 2009.
Warrenville aldermen could repeal the city’s longtime ban on video gambling as early as next month.
City attorneys and staff are finalizing details for an ordinance that would allow select licensed businesses to have up to six video gambling machines. The city council is scheduled to vote on the measure during its Sept. 7 meeting.
Illinois legalized video gambling in 2009, but towns and counties were able to opt out. Warrenville enacted its ban that year.
In recent months, many business owners have approached city council members asking the city to drop its ban, according to Warrenville Mayor David Brummel. The business owners said they need video gambling machines to generate more revenue.
“There’s certainly opposition to the gambling aspect in the community,” Brummel said. “But what we’ve determined is that there is enough benefit if we can control it enough so that it is not going to change the nature of the community, but that the benefit will help the community in terms of revenue.”
The proposed gambling ordinance has several provisions and restrictions, including requiring businesses to operate in Warrenville for one year before applying for a gaming liquor license.
“We want it to be an accessory to a going business as opposed to one of those gaming cafes,” Brummel said.
Still, there are some disagreements about the ordinance among the aldermen.
For example, there’s debate about whether a movie theater should be excluded from having video gambling machines. There also is talk about crafting a carve-out for Warrenville VFW Post 8081 since it doesn’t have the same food preparation capabilities as required in the ordinance among restaurants and bars.
“They’re looking for a little help. They’re struggling just like the rest of us,” said Brummel about the VFW. “Their population is aging, they’re having difficulty getting people into the club, so they were hoping the gaming could not only attract people but also bring in some income.”
Brummel said Warrenville found a much more receptive response to video gambling, with six out of 24 surveyed businesses and organizations expressing an interest. Using 2019 data from communities in or near DuPage County, Warrenville’s staff estimated video gambling could generate $47,900 to $61,600 in annual revenue.
“It’s not a huge game-changer, but I think it is something that will help out the city and the businesses that choose to participate,” Brummel said. “We’re trying to bridge the gap between difficult times and the better times that are coming — hopefully.”
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If Internet Gambling is legalized, many current patrons would be lured away from local taverns, restaurants, veteran, and fraternal clubs and instead play their favorite VGT games on their cell phones or computers, just to bolster the profits of online gambling companies. Internet Gambling will mean fewer patrons at local small businesses, and undoubtedly, result in lower revenue from food and beverage sales, in addition to video gaming. Please sign the petition and let your voice be heard!
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Guidelines to Safely Reopen Additional Businesses and Industries as State Advances to Next Phase of Restore Illinois
