Kane County task force examines video gambling

Kane County began exploring the impacts of video gambling Wednesday and is finding a host of complicated questions.

The county board task force examining the issue has a list of 28 businesses eligible to have video gambling machines. These liquor license-holding establishments range from fraternal organizations, to bowling alleys and convenience stores. There is some confusion about whether state law allows convenience stores with liquor licenses to have gambling machines. If each business had the maximum of five machines, the county might reap about $350,000 in new revenue, officials said.

"Our job is basically to look at this law and make a recommendation about whether we should allow video gambling in Kane County or ban it altogether," Committee Chairman Jesse Vazquez said.

How soon the committee might need to make a recommendation is not certain. County board attorney Ken Shepro said the law requires the Illinois Gaming Board to create regulations within the next few months. However, state gaming officials have said they don't have the staff to meet that deadline. More realistic goals for clear regulations are 12 to 18 months, according to an estimate by the Illinois Municipal League.

In the meantime, Shepro said he wouldn't disagree with a temporary ban - so businesses don't bring in machines before clear rules are established - that the county board could rescind later.

"You never know what some court may decide about grandfathering," said Shepro, who added he's not too worried about that scenario.

Another topic is the law's impact on establishments that have coin-operated games with non-monetary payouts. Shepro said state law might also limit the number of those machines.

Next will be public hearings for liquor license owners, community members and interest groups to provide input. One person who will not provide input is Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez. He was invited to sit on the task force by County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay. However, Vazquez summarized an e-mail he received from Perez saying he views the appointment as a conflict since his duties are to enforce laws, not create them.