102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0149

 

Introduced 2/9/2021, by Sen. Dale Fowler

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
230 ILCS 40/25

    Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that in determining whether the location of an establishment authorized to conduct video gaming complies with the Act, the Illinois Gaming Board shall only consider the initial inspection report submitted to the Board with the application for a licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed veterans establishment.


LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0149LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1    AN ACT concerning gaming.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Video Gaming Act is amended by changing
5Section 25 as follows:
 
6    (230 ILCS 40/25)
7    Sec. 25. Restriction of licensees.
8    (a) Manufacturer. A person may not be licensed as a
9manufacturer of a video gaming terminal in Illinois unless the
10person has a valid manufacturer's license issued under this
11Act. A manufacturer may only sell video gaming terminals for
12use in Illinois to persons having a valid distributor's
13license.
14    (b) Distributor. A person may not sell, distribute, or
15lease or market a video gaming terminal in Illinois unless the
16person has a valid distributor's license issued under this
17Act. A distributor may only sell video gaming terminals for
18use in Illinois to persons having a valid distributor's or
19terminal operator's license.
20    (c) Terminal operator. A person may not own, maintain, or
21place a video gaming terminal unless he has a valid terminal
22operator's license issued under this Act. A terminal operator
23may only place video gaming terminals for use in Illinois in

 

 

SB0149- 2 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1licensed establishments, licensed truck stop establishments,
2licensed large truck stop establishments, licensed fraternal
3establishments, and licensed veterans establishments. No
4terminal operator may give anything of value, including but
5not limited to a loan or financing arrangement, to a licensed
6establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed
7large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal
8establishment, or licensed veterans establishment as any
9incentive or inducement to locate video terminals in that
10establishment. Of the after-tax profits from a video gaming
11terminal, 50% shall be paid to the terminal operator and 50%
12shall be paid to the licensed establishment, licensed truck
13stop establishment, licensed large truck stop establishment,
14licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed veterans
15establishment, notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary.
16A video terminal operator that violates one or more
17requirements of this subsection is guilty of a Class 4 felony
18and is subject to termination of his or her license by the
19Board.
20    (d) Licensed technician. A person may not service,
21maintain, or repair a video gaming terminal in this State
22unless he or she (1) has a valid technician's license issued
23under this Act, (2) is a terminal operator, or (3) is employed
24by a terminal operator, distributor, or manufacturer.
25    (d-5) Licensed terminal handler. No person, including, but
26not limited to, an employee or independent contractor working

 

 

SB0149- 3 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1for a manufacturer, distributor, supplier, technician, or
2terminal operator licensed pursuant to this Act, shall have
3possession or control of a video gaming terminal, or access to
4the inner workings of a video gaming terminal, unless that
5person possesses a valid terminal handler's license issued
6under this Act.
7    (e) Licensed establishment. No video gaming terminal may
8be placed in any licensed establishment, licensed veterans
9establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed
10large truck stop establishment, or licensed fraternal
11establishment unless the owner or agent of the owner of the
12licensed establishment, licensed veterans establishment,
13licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop
14establishment, or licensed fraternal establishment has entered
15into a written use agreement with the terminal operator for
16placement of the terminals. A copy of the use agreement shall
17be on file in the terminal operator's place of business and
18available for inspection by individuals authorized by the
19Board. A licensed establishment, licensed truck stop
20establishment, licensed veterans establishment, or licensed
21fraternal establishment may operate up to 6 video gaming
22terminals on its premises at any time. A licensed large truck
23stop establishment may operate up to 10 video gaming terminals
24on its premises at any time.
25    (f) (Blank).
26    (g) Financial interest restrictions. As used in this Act,

 

 

SB0149- 4 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1"substantial interest" in a partnership, a corporation, an
2organization, an association, a business, or a limited
3liability company means:
4        (A) When, with respect to a sole proprietorship, an
5    individual or his or her spouse owns, operates, manages,
6    or conducts, directly or indirectly, the organization,
7    association, or business, or any part thereof; or
8        (B) When, with respect to a partnership, the
9    individual or his or her spouse shares in any of the
10    profits, or potential profits, of the partnership
11    activities; or
12        (C) When, with respect to a corporation, an individual
13    or his or her spouse is an officer or director, or the
14    individual or his or her spouse is a holder, directly or
15    beneficially, of 5% or more of any class of stock of the
16    corporation; or
17        (D) When, with respect to an organization not covered
18    in (A), (B) or (C) above, an individual or his or her
19    spouse is an officer or manages the business affairs, or
20    the individual or his or her spouse is the owner of or
21    otherwise controls 10% or more of the assets of the
22    organization; or
23        (E) When an individual or his or her spouse furnishes
24    5% or more of the capital, whether in cash, goods, or
25    services, for the operation of any business, association,
26    or organization during any calendar year; or

 

 

SB0149- 5 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1        (F) When, with respect to a limited liability company,
2    an individual or his or her spouse is a member, or the
3    individual or his or her spouse is a holder, directly or
4    beneficially, of 5% or more of the membership interest of
5    the limited liability company.
6    For purposes of this subsection (g), "individual" includes
7all individuals or their spouses whose combined interest would
8qualify as a substantial interest under this subsection (g)
9and whose activities with respect to an organization,
10association, or business are so closely aligned or coordinated
11as to constitute the activities of a single entity.
12    (h) Location restriction. A licensed establishment,
13licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop
14establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed
15veterans establishment that is (i) located within 1,000 feet
16of a facility operated by an organization licensee licensed
17under the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 or the home dock of
18a riverboat licensed under the Illinois Gambling Act or (ii)
19located within 100 feet of a school or a place of worship under
20the Religious Corporation Act, is ineligible to operate a
21video gaming terminal. The location restrictions in this
22subsection (h) do not apply if (A) a facility operated by an
23organization licensee, a school, or a place of worship moves
24to or is established within the restricted area after a
25licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment,
26licensed large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal

 

 

SB0149- 6 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1establishment, or licensed veterans establishment becomes
2licensed under this Act or (B) a school or place of worship
3moves to or is established within the restricted area after a
4licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment,
5licensed large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal
6establishment, or licensed veterans establishment obtains its
7original liquor license. For the purpose of this subsection,
8"school" means an elementary or secondary public school, or an
9elementary or secondary private school registered with or
10recognized by the State Board of Education. In making
11determinations under this subsection (h), the Board shall only
12consider the initial inspection report submitted to the Board
13with the application for a licensed establishment, licensed
14truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop
15establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed
16veterans establishment.
17    Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (h), the
18Board may waive the requirement that a licensed establishment,
19licensed truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop
20establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed
21veterans establishment not be located within 1,000 feet from a
22facility operated by an organization licensee licensed under
23the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 or the home dock of a
24riverboat licensed under the Illinois Gambling Act. The Board
25shall not grant such waiver if there is any common ownership or
26control, shared business activity, or contractual arrangement

 

 

SB0149- 7 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1of any type between the establishment and the organization
2licensee or owners licensee of a riverboat. The Board shall
3adopt rules to implement the provisions of this paragraph.
4    (h-5) Restrictions on licenses in malls. The Board shall
5not grant an application to become a licensed video gaming
6location if the Board determines that granting the application
7would more likely than not cause a terminal operator,
8individually or in combination with other terminal operators,
9licensed video gaming location, or other person or entity, to
10operate the video gaming terminals in 2 or more licensed video
11gaming locations as a single video gaming operation.
12        (1) In making determinations under this subsection
13    (h-5), factors to be considered by the Board shall
14    include, but not be limited to, the following:
15            (A) the physical aspects of the location;
16            (B) the ownership, control, or management of the
17        location;
18            (C) any arrangements, understandings, or
19        agreements, written or otherwise, among or involving
20        any persons or entities that involve the conducting of
21        any video gaming business or the sharing of costs or
22        revenues; and
23            (D) the manner in which any terminal operator or
24        other related entity markets, advertises, or otherwise
25        describes any location or locations to any other
26        person or entity or to the public.

 

 

SB0149- 8 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1        (2) The Board shall presume, subject to rebuttal, that
2    the granting of an application to become a licensed video
3    gaming location within a mall will cause a terminal
4    operator, individually or in combination with other
5    persons or entities, to operate the video gaming terminals
6    in 2 or more licensed video gaming locations as a single
7    video gaming operation if the Board determines that
8    granting the license would create a local concentration of
9    licensed video gaming locations.
10    For the purposes of this subsection (h-5):
11    "Mall" means a building, or adjoining or connected
12buildings, containing 4 or more separate locations.
13    "Video gaming operation" means the conducting of video
14gaming and all related activities.
15    "Location" means a space within a mall containing a
16separate business, a place for a separate business, or a place
17subject to a separate leasing arrangement by the mall owner.
18    "Licensed video gaming location" means a licensed
19establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, licensed
20veterans establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, or
21licensed large truck stop.
22    "Local concentration of licensed video gaming locations"
23means that the combined number of licensed video gaming
24locations within a mall exceed half of the separate locations
25within the mall.
26    (i) Undue economic concentration. In addition to

 

 

SB0149- 9 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1considering all other requirements under this Act, in deciding
2whether to approve the operation of video gaming terminals by
3a terminal operator in a location, the Board shall consider
4the impact of any economic concentration of such operation of
5video gaming terminals. The Board shall not allow a terminal
6operator to operate video gaming terminals if the Board
7determines such operation will result in undue economic
8concentration. For purposes of this Section, "undue economic
9concentration" means that a terminal operator would have such
10actual or potential influence over video gaming terminals in
11Illinois as to:
12        (1) substantially impede or suppress competition among
13    terminal operators;
14        (2) adversely impact the economic stability of the
15    video gaming industry in Illinois; or
16        (3) negatively impact the purposes of the Video Gaming
17    Act.
18    The Board shall adopt rules concerning undue economic
19concentration with respect to the operation of video gaming
20terminals in Illinois. The rules shall include, but not be
21limited to, (i) limitations on the number of video gaming
22terminals operated by any terminal operator within a defined
23geographic radius and (ii) guidelines on the discontinuation
24of operation of any such video gaming terminals the Board
25determines will cause undue economic concentration.
26    (j) The provisions of the Illinois Antitrust Act are fully

 

 

SB0149- 10 -LRB102 10564 SMS 15893 b

1and equally applicable to the activities of any licensee under
2this Act.
3(Source: P.A. 101-31, eff. 6-28-19.)