HB5437enr 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5437 Enrolled LRB096 18740 AMC 34125 b

AN ACT concerning gaming.

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

Section 5. The Bingo License and Tax Act is amended by changing Section 1.3 as follows:

(230 ILCS 25/1.3)

Sec. 1.3. Restrictions on licensure. Licensing for the conducting of bingo is subject to the following restrictions:

(1) The license application, when submitted to the Department, must contain a sworn statement attesting to the not-for-profit character of the prospective licensee organization, signed by a person listed on the application as an owner, officer, or other person in charge of the necessary day-to-day operations of that organization.

(2) The license application shall be prepared in accordance with the rules of the Department.

(3) The licensee shall prominently display the license in the area where the licensee conducts bingo. The licensee shall likewise display, in the form and manner as prescribed by the Department, the provisions of Section 8 of this Act.

(4) Each license shall state the day of the week, hours and at which location the licensee is permitted to conduct bingo games.

(5) A license is not assignable or transferable.

(6) A license authorizes the licensee to conduct the game commonly known as bingo, in which prizes are awarded on the basis of designated numbers or symbols on a card conforming to numbers or symbols selected at random.

(7) The Department may, on special application made by any organization having a bingo license, issue a special permit for conducting bingo at other premises and on other days not exceeding 5 consecutive days, except that a licensee may conduct bingo at the Illinois State Fair or any county fair held in Illinois during each day that the fair is held, without a fee. Bingo games conducted at the Illinois State Fair or a county fair shall not require a special permit. No more than 2 special permits may be issued in one year to any one organization.

(8) Any organization qualified for a license but not holding one may, upon application and payment of a nonrefundable fee of $50, receive a limited license to conduct bingo games at no more than 2 indoor or outdoor festivals in a year for a maximum of 5 consecutive days on each occasion. No more than 2 limited licenses under this item (7) may be issued to any organization in any year. A limited license must be prominently displayed at the site where the bingo games are conducted.

(9) Senior citizens organizations may conduct bingo without a license or fee, subject to the following conditions:

(A) bingo shall be conducted only (i) at a facility that is owned by a unit of local government to which the corporate authorities have given their approval and that is used to provide social services or a meeting place to senior citizens, or (ii) in common areas in multi-unit federally assisted rental housing maintained solely for the elderly and handicapped, or (iii) at a building owned by a church or veterans organization;

(B) the price paid for a single card shall not exceed 50 cents;

(C) the aggregate retail value of all prizes or merchandise awarded in any one game of bingo shall not exceed $5;

(D) no person or organization shall participate in the management or operation of bingo under this item (9) if the person or organization would be ineligible for a license under this Section; and

(E) no license is required to provide premises for bingo conducted under this item (9).

(10) Bingo equipment shall not be used for any purpose other than for the play of bingo.

(Source: P.A. 95-228, eff. 8-16-07; 96-210, eff. 8-10-09.)

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