Elk Grove Village establishes video gambling commission
A month after adopting an ordinance allowing video gambling, the Elk Grove Village Board Tuesday approved an ordinance establishing a video gaming subcommission to provide oversight and appointed Mayor Craig Johnson as video gaming commissioner.
The ordinance adopted Tuesday also establishes hours of operation, licensing and registration requirements, and restrictions on the operation of video gambling machines in licensed establishments.
Thus far, four Elk Grove Village businesses have applied with the state for a video gambling license — Real Time Sports, Thai Spoon, Where Else Bar & Grill, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
The Illinois Gaming Board began granting licenses Aug. 1. No more than five machines can be placed in licensed locations.
If granted licenses by the state, those businesses would have to apply for licensing and register with the village for a one-time application fee of $500 and an annual fee of $1,000, Johnson said.
The village ordinance was modeled after state statute. Johnson said though Elk Grove Village has the right to refuse an establishment that has secured a state video gambling license from operating terminals if there are valid reasons, officials will defer to the state’s judgment for granting licenses.
The video gaming subcommission will have the same membership as the village liquor subcommission, where Johnson, the village’s liquor commissioner, appoints the other two members.
Any hearings on gaming violations will be conducted in the same manner as hearings before the liquor commission, with penalties ranging from a fine to suspension or revocation.
The village may require mandatory identification for anyone entering the gaming area. Establishments must install a burglar alarm system that connects to the Northwest Central Dispatch System, and will be required to operate a video surveillance system to monitor the area with video gambling machines, with recordings retained for a minimum of 30 days.