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Posted: Wednesday, 15 July 2009 7:58AM
Video poker may be legal, but many hurdles lie ahead
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CHICAGO (STNG) - How long will it take before legalized video poker machines start showing up at corner taverns and restaurants?
Folks in the know say 12 months is a pretty safe wager.
A better bet: Take the over.
The $31 billion construction bill Gov. Quinn signed Monday relies partially on expected revenue from the legalization of video poker.
That bill left the Illinois Gaming Board facing a logistical nightmare of licensing and regulating video poker and setting up a system to keep track of wagers and the state's tax take.
"It's going to be a huge debacle to get this all together . . . a terrible burden," the Rev. Eugene Winkler, Gaming Board member, said. "Then you have to take into account the video poker games in place. They're illegal. And they are under the aegis of the mob."
The video poker part of the construction bill gave the Gaming Board 60 days to come up with rules governing the video poker system, which could put 45,000 machines in bars, restaurants and truck stops across the state.
The 60-day deadline in itself is a "big problem," said Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe.
"This is going to have a tremendous impact on the board. . . . There's no appropriation for this bill, so how do you put anything into effect?" Jaffe said. "It's a very frustrating situation where all of the sudden there is this humongous task in front of you and [lawmakers] want [tax] money from you tomorrow. How is that possible?"
Winkler said state lawmakers shouldn't expect tax revenue from video poker machines until 2011.
First up for the Gaming Board is settling on regulations and establishing, among other things, how gamblers will be paid their winnings and determining which bar owners must submit to criminal background checks, board spokesman Gene O'Shea said.
"It's an understatement to say this is a major undertaking," O'Shea said.
Then, the Gaming Board will seek proposals from companies to create and maintain a central computer system to keep track of "how much money goes in and how much money goes out," O'Shea said. All video poker machines will have to come from licensed manufacturers, which have not been selected yet. The whole process could take 18 months or longer, O'Shea said.
Anti-gambling advocates want the Gaming Board to take its time.
"There's a lot of mistakes and loopholes in the bill. I think they need to slow down. This bill was not done in the light of day, so there should be public input," said Anita Bedell, executive director of Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems.
Meanwhile, bar and tavern owners are anxiously waiting for video poker machines that could help business in a slumping economy.
"The hospitality industry has been hit hard by the economy and tax increases for adult beverages and by the indoor smoking ban," said Illinois Licensed Beverage Association Executive Director Dan Clausner. "We hope that legalized video gaming will give us a little boost."
Matt Nash, owner of Flounder's in Lincoln Park, said poker machine profits could help cover some bar expenses.
"Pretty much anyone running a bar would say they could use video poker right now," Nash said.
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Copyright 2009 STNG Wire, The Chicago Sun-Times. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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