In Illinois, the Plainfield Village board of trustees recently voted 4-2 against allowing video gaming at restaurants. Trustee Ed O’Rourke, one of the two who supported video gaming, said, “The communities around us are taking advantage of it, and I do believe that we are losing revenue and losing business. Our business owners are losing business to neighboring communities.”
Previously, several restaurant owners expressed their desire for the games. Vince Athy, owner of Fox’s Restaurant & Pub, said, “I really see no reason why we shouldn’t be allowed to have video gaming.” He said there have been no problems at the two other establishments he owns outside Plainfield Village where video gaming is allowed. Athy noted any extra help for business owners like him benefits the local economy as a whole.
Trustee Bill Lamb, who voted against video gaming, said under the current arrangement with the state, municipalities do not make enough profit when weighed against the risks, like hurting the community’s image. “I’m a pro-business guy. I think the risk, though, involved in the video gaming in its current format is taken on by the village more so than anybody else, and the distributor who takes the least amount of risk makes equivalent to the most amount of profit.” Lamb added he wants the village aim for “high family values.”
Lou Smith, post commander at the Joliet Veterans of Foreign Wars Cantigny Post 367, agreed that the state’s strict video gaming regulations outweigh the benefits. “It has been more hurtful than helpful,” he said, though he acknowledged the games bring a small profit to the post. However, the state takes 30 percent of video gaming profits and the remaining 70 percent is split between the establishment and the operator/vendor. The establishment also pays local taxes.
Other regulations require the machines to be able to maintain information electronically and be connected by a central communications systems for auditing. Also, establishments are not eligible for a license if they’re located within 100 feet of a school or place of worship.
At American Legion Post 1080 in Joliet, Bob Sleyko, junior vice commander, said video gaming has been trouble-free. The post’s video gaming machines are in a separate room and players must be 21 years old to enter. The games are monitored by video surveillance and workers can see the screens by the bar.
Most important, Sleyko said, video gaming has provided significant financial benefits to the organization in the past three years. The Legion has been able to renovate, including $4,000 for new chairs and $25,000 for a remodeled bathroom. He said the post also has been able to give back to the community, including a $5,000 Christmas celebration for local veterans and their families. “This was all because of the gaming, the profits we get. We were about to break even. Since the gaming, we were able to do all this,” Sleyko said.
