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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Deb Lang, Assistant Corporation Counsel
Jennifer Stallings, City Clerk
Alex Voigt, Deputy Chief of Staff
DATE: October 4, 2023
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval of Amendments to Chapter 8 - Article 8-IV, Division 8-IV-5 pertaining to Video Gaming.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of amendments proposed in Legistar items 23-0800, 23-0801, 23-0803 and 23-0806 all seek to address a loophole in our local ordinances pertaining to illegal gaming/gambling machines.
BACKGROUND:
The State of Illinois and the City of Aurora have established regulations for video gaming and amusement machines. The city's regulations largely mirror the State's, but as it pertains to allowable locations, the number of machines and the standards of establishments, Aurora's regulations are more stringent. However, there is currently a loophole in the State Law and our local ordinances that allows a certain type of amusement machine to be licensed that is, in most respects, a video gaming machine. This proposed legislation seeks to close the loophole and prohibit all "amusement" gaming machines that directly pay out money or vouchers redeemable on-site (or elsewhere) for money or other forms of taxable income, from being operated in non-regulated businesses. This change does not apply to establishments licensed under Chapter 8; the only impact will be to businesses with unregulated terminals licensed under "Amusements".
DISCUSSION:
This specific item proposes to update the "Definitions" section of the city's regulations for video gaming terminals and consistent with other code updates, removes the "fee" provision out of the code to instead be established by Resolution.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Amending Chapter 8 - Article 8-IV, Division 8-IV-5 will prohibit the operation of unregulated video gaming machines. This prohibition will redirect patrons wishing to participate in video gaming to locations with properly licensed and regulated video gaming machines and, i...
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