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Romeoville attorney introduces ordinance to regulate unlicensed 'sweepstakes' machines
Summary
Village counsel proposed creating chapter 111a to address machines that resemble video gaming terminals and that counsel said are not state-regulated or taxed; board discussion framed the measure as consumer protection and revenue preservation.
Village counsel presented a proposed ordinance to create chapter 111a of the Romeoville municipal code to regulate so-called "sweepstakes" machines that, at a casual glance, resemble video gaming terminals.
"Many of these machines will have people pay money into it, and they get an opportunity to win some type of a coupon that can thereafter be redeemed for merchandise," the village attorney said, arguing the devices are not regulated or taxed by the state and that the village has seen a proliferation of such machines in other communities. "They aren't regulated or licensed in any way, shape, or form by the state of Illinois," he said.
The attorney told the board that other communities have adopted similar ordinances, and he framed the draft proposal as intended to protect residents and to prevent revenue loss for licensed, tax-paying local businesses. Trustees reacted with surprise at the machines’ existence; one trustee said the commission "asked a few questions" about site details such as knee walls and sidewalk connections and that those issues had been addressed between the village and developer in the example concept plan under discussion.
The ordinance was placed on the agenda for consideration; no final vote on the measure was recorded in the public portion of the meeting.
