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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 29 - Article 29-IV, Division 29-IV-2 pertaining to Gambling.
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 seeks to amend Chapter 29 (Offenses, Miscellaneous), - Article 29-IV (Gambling), Division 29-IV-2. The "Definitions" section will be updated to be consistent with the proposed language in Chapter 8. Similarly, the "Gambling Locations" and "Forfeiture of Gambling Devices" will also be updated to be consistent with other areas of the code.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Amending Chapter 29 - Article 29-IV, Division 29-IV-2 will prohibit the use of unregulated video gaming machines. This prohibition will redirect patrons wi...
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