Chicago Crime Commission releases latest publication to address new unregulated gambling machines

CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Chicago Crime Commission released its latest publication called The Nightmare of Sweepstakes Video Gaming designed to assist law enforcement in identifying and removing the new gaming machines that have been introduced in Illinois.  The publication provides information on the identification and operation of the gaming machines, the Illinois Gaming Board's legal position on the issue, and information on how other states have eradicated these devices.      

"These machines are called sweepstakes or coupon machines, but make no mistake, they are video gambling devices," according to Art Bilek, Executive Vice President of the Chicago Crime Commission. "In the presence of undercover police officers, I have gone to taverns and bars and played the machines. While I lost almost every game, I did win enough to hit the cash-out button and receive a receipt which I handed to the bartender and received cash for my illegal winnings," he continued.

To address the growing problem, the Chicago Crime Commission is providing The Nightmare of Sweepstakes Video Gaming to every mayor, village president and police chief in Cook County and every sheriff and state's attorney in Illinois. "Today marks the beginning of a drive to knock these machines out of the state of Illinois before they are able to establish a toe hold.  Our new publication provides law enforcement with an important tool to get these dangerous and unregulated machines off the streets," said Bilek.       

The element that differentiates these machines from other video gambling devices and currently allows them to skirt existing laws is a feature that gives the player a discount coupon that can be used with additional money to purchase gifts from the company website. Players are also a given a small number of play-points from an already-conducted electronic sweepstakes raffle.  "In practice, gamblers using these machines discard their discount coupons in a waste basket next to the gambling machine," Bilek continued.

Late last year the Illinois Gaming Board placed a notice on its website stating that these machines fit the definition of a gaming device under the Video Gaming Machine Act and the Illinois Criminal Code and are illegal.   

While these machines are relatively new to the Chicago area, they have appeared in a dozen states over the past few years. In each state the introduction of these gambling machines has resulted in hundreds of arrests and seizures by local police and sheriffs and long court battles by state's attorneys and attorneys general. In each and every court case that has gone to the appellate level the judge has ruled that these machines are gambling devices.

"In addition to the players losing their money in these unregulated machines, the State of Illinois is a loser as well.  None of the proceeds from these machines will ever find their way into the state coffers, unlike regulated gambling machines that pay 30 percent of their profits to the State of Illinois and 5 percent to local government," he added.

"The greatest danger of these unlicensed gambling machines is the hidden ownership which provides an opportunity for members of organized crime to secretly control and monopolize this business," Bilek commented.  "Because of the complete absence of background investigations of the operators, distributors and owners of these machines, I have serious concerns that the criminal element is behind their installation and operation," he concluded.  

Contact:
John Pastuovic
312-372-0101 X 240

SOURCE Chicago Crime Commission

Related Links

http://www.chicagocrimecommission.org