SB2241 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 18847 AMC 44975 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB2241

Introduced 2/14/2008, by Sen. Michael Noland

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

230 ILCS 10/7

from Ch. 120, par. 2407

Amends the Riverboat Gambling Act. Requires the Illinois Gaming Board to award owners licenses to applicants whose plans (i) generate the highest amount of revenue to the State and (ii) provide for the least amount of cannibalization of existing licensees' revenues generated pursuant to this Act. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning gaming.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Riverboat Gambling Act is amended by changing Section 7 as follows:

(230 ILCS 10/7) (from Ch. 120, par. 2407)

Sec. 7. Owners Licenses.

(a) The Board shall issue owners licenses to persons, firms or corporations which apply for such licenses upon payment to the Board of the non-refundable license fee set by the Board, upon payment of a $25,000 license fee for the first year of operation and a $5,000 license fee for each succeeding year and upon a determination by the Board that the applicant is eligible for an owners license pursuant to this Act and the rules of the Board. For a period of 2 years beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, as a condition of licensure and as an alternative source of payment for those funds payable under subsection (c-5) of Section 13 of the Riverboat Gambling Act, any owners licensee that holds or receives its owners license on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, other than an owners licensee operating a riverboat with adjusted gross receipts in calendar year 2004 of less than $200,000,000, must pay into the Horse Racing Equity Trust Fund, in addition to any other payments required under this Act, an amount equal to 3% of the adjusted gross receipts received by the owners licensee. The payments required under this Section shall be made by the owners licensee to the State Treasurer no later than 3:00 o'clock p.m. of the day after the day when the adjusted gross receipts were received by the owners licensee. A person, firm or corporation is ineligible to receive an owners license if:

(1) the person has been convicted of a felony under the laws of this State, any other state, or the United States;

(2) the person has been convicted of any violation of Article 28 of the Criminal Code of 1961, or substantially similar laws of any other jurisdiction;

(3) the person has submitted an application for a license under this Act which contains false information;

(4) the person is a member of the Board;

(5) a person defined in (1), (2), (3) or (4) is an officer, director or managerial employee of the firm or corporation;

(6) the firm or corporation employs a person defined in (1), (2), (3) or (4) who participates in the management or operation of gambling operations authorized under this Act;

(7) (blank); or

(8) a license of the person, firm or corporation issued under this Act, or a license to own or operate gambling facilities in any other jurisdiction, has been revoked.

(b) In determining whether to grant an owners license to an applicant, the Board shall consider:

(1) the character, reputation, experience and financial integrity of the applicants and of any other or separate person that either:

(A) controls, directly or indirectly, such applicant, or

(B) is controlled, directly or indirectly, by such applicant or by a person which controls, directly or indirectly, such applicant;

(2) the facilities or proposed facilities for the conduct of riverboat gambling;

(3) the highest prospective total revenue to be derived by the State from the conduct of riverboat gambling;

(4) the extent to which the ownership of the applicant reflects the diversity of the State by including minority persons and females and the good faith affirmative action plan of each applicant to recruit, train and upgrade minority persons and females in all employment classifications;

(5) the financial ability of the applicant to purchase and maintain adequate liability and casualty insurance;

(6) whether the applicant has adequate capitalization to provide and maintain, for the duration of a license, a riverboat;

(7) the extent to which the applicant exceeds or meets other standards for the issuance of an owners license which the Board may adopt by rule; and

(8) The amount of the applicant's license bid.

(c) Each owners license shall specify the place where riverboats shall operate and dock.

(d) Each applicant shall submit with his application, on forms provided by the Board, 2 sets of his fingerprints.

(e) The Board may issue up to 10 licenses authorizing the holders of such licenses to own riverboats. In the application for an owners license, the applicant shall state the dock at which the riverboat is based and the water on which the riverboat will be located. The Board shall issue 5 licenses to become effective not earlier than January 1, 1991. Three of such licenses shall authorize riverboat gambling on the Mississippi River, or, with approval by the municipality in which the riverboat was docked on August 7, 2003 and with Board approval, be authorized to relocate to a new location, in a municipality that (1) borders on the Mississippi River or is within 5 miles of the city limits of a municipality that borders on the Mississippi River and (2), on August 7, 2003, had a riverboat conducting riverboat gambling operations pursuant to a license issued under this Act; one of which shall authorize riverboat gambling from a home dock in the city of East St. Louis. One other license shall authorize riverboat gambling on the Illinois River south of Marshall County. The Board shall issue one additional license to become effective not earlier than March 1, 1992, which shall authorize riverboat gambling on the Des Plaines River in Will County. The Board may issue 4 additional licenses to become effective not earlier than March 1, 1992. In determining the water upon which riverboats will operate, the Board shall consider the economic benefit which riverboat gambling confers on the State, and shall seek to assure that all regions of the State share in the economic benefits of riverboat gambling.

The Board shall award owners licenses to applicants whose plans (i) generate the highest amount of revenue to the State and (ii) provide for the least amount of cannibalization of existing licensees' revenues generated pursuant to this Act. For the purposes of this subsection (e), "cannibalization" means the diversion of revenues generated pursuant to this Act from existing licensees by an owners licensee authorized under this subsection (e). In determining whether cannibalization exists, the Board shall also consider the extent to which the applicant can attract from market areas of neighboring states.

In granting all licenses, the Board may give favorable consideration to economically depressed areas of the State, to applicants presenting plans which provide for significant economic development over a large geographic area, and to applicants who currently operate non-gambling riverboats in Illinois. The Board shall review all applications for owners licenses, and shall inform each applicant of the Board's decision. The Board may grant an owners license to an applicant that has not submitted the highest license bid, but if it does not select the highest bidder, the Board shall issue a written decision explaining why another applicant was selected and identifying the factors set forth in this Section that favored the winning bidder.

In addition to any other revocation powers granted to the Board under this Act, the Board may revoke the owners license of a licensee which fails to begin conducting gambling within 15 months of receipt of the Board's approval of the application if the Board determines that license revocation is in the best interests of the State.

(f) The first 10 owners licenses issued under this Act shall permit the holder to own up to 2 riverboats and equipment thereon for a period of 3 years after the effective date of the license. Holders of the first 10 owners licenses must pay the annual license fee for each of the 3 years during which they are authorized to own riverboats.

(g) Upon the termination, expiration, or revocation of each of the first 10 licenses, which shall be issued for a 3 year period, all licenses are renewable annually upon payment of the fee and a determination by the Board that the licensee continues to meet all of the requirements of this Act and the Board's rules. However, for licenses renewed on or after May 1, 1998, renewal shall be for a period of 4 years, unless the Board sets a shorter period.

(h) An owners license shall entitle the licensee to own up to 2 riverboats. A licensee shall limit the number of gambling participants to 1,200 for any such owners license. A licensee may operate both of its riverboats concurrently, provided that the total number of gambling participants on both riverboats does not exceed 1,200. Riverboats licensed to operate on the Mississippi River and the Illinois River south of Marshall County shall have an authorized capacity of at least 500 persons. Any other riverboat licensed under this Act shall have an authorized capacity of at least 400 persons.

(i) A licensed owner is authorized to apply to the Board for and, if approved therefor, to receive all licenses from the Board necessary for the operation of a riverboat, including a liquor license, a license to prepare and serve food for human consumption, and other necessary licenses. All use, occupation and excise taxes which apply to the sale of food and beverages in this State and all taxes imposed on the sale or use of tangible personal property apply to such sales aboard the riverboat.

(j) The Board may issue or re-issue a license authorizing a riverboat to dock in a municipality or approve a relocation under Section 11.2 only if, prior to the issuance or re-issuance of the license or approval, the governing body of the municipality in which the riverboat will dock has by a majority vote approved the docking of riverboats in the municipality. The Board may issue or re-issue a license authorizing a riverboat to dock in areas of a county outside any municipality or approve a relocation under Section 11.2 only if, prior to the issuance or re-issuance of the license or approval, the governing body of the county has by a majority vote approved of the docking of riverboats within such areas.

(Source: P.A. 93-28, eff. 6-20-03; 93-453, eff. 8-7-03; 94-667, eff. 8-23-05; 94-804, eff. 5-26-06.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.