Public Act 099-0177
 
HB2557 EnrolledLRB099 08992 MLM 29169 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 Sections 1.1 and  1.3 as follows:
 
    (230 ILCS 25/1.1)
    Sec. 1.1. Definitions. For purposes of this Act, the 
following definitions apply:
    "Bingo" means a game in which each player has a card or 
board for which a consideration has been paid, containing 5 
horizontal rows of spaces, with each row except the central one 
containing 5 figures. The central row has 4 figures with the 
word "free" marked in the center space. "Bingo" includes games 
that otherwise qualify under this paragraph, except for the use 
of cards where the figures are not preprinted but are filled in 
by the players. A player wins a game of bingo by completing a 
preannounced combination of spaces or, in the absence of a 
preannouncement of a combination of spaces, any combination of 
5 spaces in a row, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
    "Bingo equipment" means any equipment or machinery 
designed or used for the play of bingo. "Bingo equipment" does 
not include electronic equipment.
    "Charitable organization" means an organization or 
institution organized and operated to benefit an indefinite 
number of the public.
    "Department" means the Department of Revenue.
    "Educational organization" means an organization or 
institution organized and operated to provide systematic 
instruction in useful branches of learning by methods common to 
schools and institutions of learning which compare favorably in 
their scope and intensity with the course of study presented in 
tax-supported schools.
    "Fraternal organization" means an organization of persons 
having a common interest that is organized and operated 
exclusively to promote the welfare of its members and to 
benefit the general public on a continuing and consistent 
basis, including but not limited to ethnic organizations.
    "Holiday" means any of the holidays listed in Section 17 of 
the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act.
    "Labor organization" means an organization composed of 
labor unions or workers organized with the objectives of 
betterment of the conditions of those engaged in such pursuit 
and the development of a higher degree of efficiency in their 
respective occupations.
    "Licensed organization" means a qualified organization 
that has obtained a license to conduct bingo in conformance 
with the provisions of this Act.
    "Limited license" means a license issued to an organization 
that is not a licensed organization, but that is otherwise 
eligible for a regular license to conduct bingo. A limited 
license authorizes the conduct of bingo at up to 2 indoor or 
outdoor festivals during the calendar year for which the 
license is issued for a maximum of 5 consecutive days on each 
occasion.
    "Non-profit organization" means an organization or 
institution organized and conducted on a not-for-profit basis 
with no personal profit inuring to anyone as a result of the 
operation.
    "Organization" means a corporation, agency, partnership, 
association, firm, business or other entity consisting of 2 or 
more persons joined by a common interest or purpose.
    "Person" means any natural individual, corporation, 
partnership, limited liability company, organization (as 
defined in this Section), licensee under this Act, or 
volunteer.
    "Provider" means any person or organization, except a city, 
village, or incorporated town that owns or leases premises to 
an organization for the conduct of bingo.
    "Regular license" means a license authorizing its holder to 
conduct one session of bingo per week on the date and at the 
time and location stated on the license.
    "Religious organization" means any church, congregation, 
society, or organization founded for the purpose of religious 
worship.
    "Senior citizens organization" means an organization or 
association comprised of members of which substantially all are 
individuals who are senior citizens, as defined in the Illinois 
Act on the Aging, the primary purpose of which is to promote 
the welfare of its members.
    "Special games" means bingo games that may be designated as 
such, played a maximum of 5 times during a bingo session and 
are distinguished from regular games only by the maximum price 
that may be charged for the bingo cards used.
    "Special permit" means the ability of a licensee who 
currently holds a license to be granted a permit to conduct 
bingo at other premises or on other days not exceeding 5 
consecutive days.
    "Supplier" means any person, firm, or corporation that 
sells, leases, or distributes to any organization licensed to 
conduct bingo or to any licensed bingo supplier, cards, boards, 
sheets, markers, pads and any other supplies, devices and 
equipment designed for use in the play of bingo.
    "Veterans' organization" means an organization comprised 
of members of which substantially all are individuals who are 
veterans or spouses, widows, or widowers of veterans, the 
primary purpose of which is to promote the welfare of its 
members and to provide assistance to the general public in such 
a way as to confer a public benefit.
    "Volunteer" means a person recruited by an organization who 
voluntarily performs services at a bingo event, including 
participation in the management or operation of a game.
    "Youth athletic organization" means an organization having 
as its exclusive purpose the promotion and provision of 
athletic activities for youth aged 18 and under.


(Source: P.A. 95-228, eff. 8-16-07.)
 
    (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 and units of local 
    government 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, (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 $10;
            (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. 96-210, eff. 8-10-09; 96-1055, eff. 7-14-10; 
96-1150, eff. 7-21-10; 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.)
  
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.


Effective Date:  07/29/2015