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East Dundee board debates options to limit gaming terminals, proposes nontransferable licenses and waiting periods
Summary
Trustees reviewed the existing gaming moratorium and discussed options including banning gaming cafes downtown, limiting terminals by square footage, a six- to 12-month waiting period before new businesses may apply, nontransferability of licenses upon ownership change, and raising fees to fund incentives; staff will return with a policy package.
The village board spent a lengthy discussion considering policy options to follow the video-gaming moratorium that is scheduled to expire later in 2024. The moratorium was adopted after a wave of new and unusual applications for gaming terminals, trustees said.
Several trustees proposed codifying a rule that would prohibit new gaming terminals except in bars and restaurants and would bar standalone gaming cafés from downtown. Trustee comments included data presented by staff showing East Dundee has a high per-capita concentration of terminals — roughly one terminal per 25 residents — compared with peer communities.
Policy options discussed included a six- to 12-month waiting period before a newly opened business can apply for terminals, square-footage limits to prevent machines from occupying a business's primary customer space, nontransferability of gaming licenses on ownership change (requiring reapplication), caps on machine counts, and raising annual terminal fees with revenue earmarked for local incentives (for example, façade programs or grants to businesses that opt to remain gaming-free).
Trustees emphasized a balanced approach intended to preserve dining and nightlife businesses while preventing a downtown concentrate of gaming terminals; staff were directed to prepare a package of options, including legal review of what the village may restrict under state law and potential fee structures.
