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Link, Syverson want taverns shut down over “bar bingo”

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Illinois

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* Is this legal?…

[Ron Larson] started the company after several years struggling to make ends meet as a mobile DJ and karoake host. He says his bar bingo company operates within the confines of the law because it’s actually a sweepstakes game, not a traditional bingo game.

Illinois state law prohibits bingo players from paying any amount of money to enter a bingo game to win prizes. Instead, Larson’s company collects a flat rate of roughly $200 from the participating bar in exchange for organizing, promoting and hosting the bingo game. Larson’s company markets the event on social media, draws people to weekly bingo games, and sets aside a portion of the revenue into a prize fund.

With each new bar that signs up, the prize fund - and the prizes - get bigger. The company has paid out at least one jackpot of $10,000 and is now promoting a monthly giveaway of a Harley Davidson motorcyle. Bars can benefit from the increased foot traffic and all the extra food and drink sales accrued during a two-hour bingo game.

* But, of course, Illinois being Illinois, somebody wants to ban it…

[Sen. Terry Link] and his Republican counterparts on the Senate Gaming Committee want the Attorney General and the Illinois Gaming Board to investigate small businesses who host bar bingo games.

“Somebody said we can’t do anything to these bars,” Link said. “Oh yes we can, we can take their liquor license away from them and put them out of business if they want to do this kind of stuff that’s illegal.”

“It’s something that has to be looked into both by the Attorney General’s office and the Gaming Board,” said Senator Dave Syverson, a Rockford Republican. “If it’s considered bingo, right now bingo is limited to not-for-profits in Illinois.”

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:04 pm

Comments

Finally, they are on to crushing a true social evil. Probably sorry that ‘sexual harassment hoopla’ slowed their pace.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:09 pm
Can Lou Lang be far behind? I mean boosting Bar Bingo?
No vice goes unchampioned when Lou’s about.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:12 pm
Don’t tell Ed Burke about this. He will want it banned in Chicago…

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:13 pm
I love little bar games to make going out more fun. We play trivia once a week and it really helps motivate me to get out a bit more. Go away, fun police!

Comment by Bunson8r Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:14 pm
Speaking as a Republican, I would suggest these Republicans learn what unobtrusive government is. “We can take….and put out of business” Jeesh. Is that really your first thought upon hearing this? “Take and Shut Down” My first thought was a chuckle. Is that kind of zealous enforcement for public safety needed more in East Garfield Park? Or those dens of vice promoting free bingo…..

Comment by Royal Paladin Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:17 pm
Get a life Link, we don’t need more big government conservatives trying to shut down everything. how many times has Link complained about Illinois being over-regulated?

Comment by Ahoy! Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:19 pm
what jerks. and what a clear demonstration of how politicians like to focus on things that don’t matter to take the public mind of their collective failure to address issues that do matter.
they disgust me. my animosity toward our legislators, collectively, continues to grow.

Comment by jim Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:20 pm
Uhm…thought republicans were pro business. Leave small businessess alone and get to work on fixing the major issues facing this state.

Comment by Generic Drone Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:21 pm
The people that win aren’t paying, right? So it sounds like it’s not a lottery. A questions for the courts probably, but Senator Link seems to be stretching it, to me at least. From a quick google search, 720 ILCS 5 Section 28-2(b):

“A “lottery” is any scheme or procedure whereby one or more prizes are distributed by chance among persons who have paid or promised consideration for a chance to win such prizes, whether such scheme or procedure is called a lottery, raffle, gift, sale or some other name,…”

Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:21 pm
I’ve never had a firm grasp on the history of legalized gambling in Illinois, can anybody direct me to an article or website that would give me some guidance as to how we moved from banning pinball machines to where we are today?

Thanks.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:22 pm
=== “Oh yes we can, we can take their liquor license away from them and put them out of business if they want to do this kind of stuff that’s illegal.” ===

Ummm…. maybe a slap on the wrist or just a conversation with the bar owner will suffice. I don’t think putting someone out of business for a likely unintentional, technical violation should be the first course of business.

Comment by Just Observing Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:22 pm
Are these guys attorneys? Calling something illegal doesn’t make it so. This sounds like a grey area. If the process is legal, so be it.
Off the top of my head, maybe it should be regulated so that it can be taxed, lol. But that might need legislation, not just a ruling from some committee. Some Repubs believe that “family values” doesn’t include anything that might be fun.

Comment by downstate commissioner Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:23 pm
Link and Syverson are bought and paid for by the casino gambling industry. They don’t want the competition, so let’s make the competition illegal.

This is a small bone thrown their way and nothing will come of it.

Comment by Mittuns Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:34 pm
Sen. Link, and Sen. Syverson, You are both obviously as much “small government” Republicans as Gov. Rauner is. Perhaps you should both take a look at why republicans are turning away from establishment Republican Party Politicians.
One more reason why I am leaning more and more towards joining the Libertarian movement to take over the world and leave everybody the #*// alone. Let these small businesses try to prosper please.

Comment by SOIL M Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:36 pm
If it’s free for patrons, what are they gambling? There is no risk of losing something.

Taco Bell was giving out free coffee to patrons today. How horrid!

This is only a good marketing strategy.

Comment by Steve Polite Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:46 pm
It should be illegal unless a chicken is involved.

Comment by a drop in Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:51 pm
Next they’ll ban dancing and playing chicken with tractors, as seen in the documentary “Footloose”.

Comment by Puddintaine Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:58 pm
Lang will get his marching orders from his casino handlers soon.

Comment by Texas Red Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 1:59 pm
Can they also ban slot machines in bars too while they are at it?

Comment by Dee Lay Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 2:00 pm
How can you tell a person is a Republican? No, really. The haphazard, hypocritical, non-sensical, contradictory themes in evidence in this country as what constitutes a Republican are depressing (said as a former Republican, now Independent).
Trump is the only one that has the ability to……..explode the entire party so it can rebuild from scratch.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 2:06 pm
It looks to me that the applicable exception from otherwise criminal gambling is at 720 ILCS 5/28-1(b)(13). I’d say the bars are good to go.

Comment by The one Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 2:09 pm
If no purchase is necessary, how is it illegal gambling? Participants are risking nothing.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 2:30 pm
MrJM- Here’s some history to 1966…

1966
Pinball Problem in Illinois–An Overdue Solution

http://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5349&context=jclc

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 2:44 pm
For a couple of chronic casino-chasers who always crapped out, Link and Syverson sure do carry the industry’s water.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 2:58 pm
==Illinois state law prohibits bingo players from paying any amount of money to enter a bingo game to win prizes. ==

That is not quite accurate. The statute prohibits bingo games “for which a consideration has been paid.” It doesn’t say the player has to be the one who pays for the card. Free N’ Fun BarBingo is operating the game, and the bars are paying for it on behalf of the customers. Free N’ Fun BarBingo collects the payments from the bars, pays out the prizes and makes its profits on the difference, just like any gambling operation.

And it isn’t just the state killjoys - under federal income law, nonprofits are taxed on their profits from bingo games if local law permits commercial bingo games. I would suspect that, if anyone is pressuring Link and Syverson, it’s not the casinos, it’s the churches and other nonprofits that regularly run bingo games.

Comment by Whatever Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 3:01 pm
Thanks, Anon221.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 3:13 pm
Lighten up Link. It’s harmless fun that probably helps restaurant and tavern owners generate more business. Way to quash business. U showed them.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 3:30 pm
Under existing law it is illegal.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 3:38 pm
Good reporting by Maxwell. Had no idea this was a “thing” until this report. Lord, does Link come off as unhinged here. Reminiscent of the scene in Animal House when Dean Wormer, frustrated with the Deltas’ disrespect, proclaims “No More Fun”

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 3:38 pm
–Under existing law it is illegal. –

Who’s gambling in these scenarios?

There’s more money risked at elementary school cakewalks. You have to buy tickets for those.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 3:41 pm
Terry link is not interested in anything that he doesn’t have a stake in. This from the originator of statewide video gambling and a lifelong proponent of more casinos.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 3:48 pm
Existing law prohibits bingo where consideration is paid for the card. It doesn’t matter who pays.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 4:43 pm
Anon 4:43, time to quit playing. Cite where it’s illegal.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 4:59 pm
Sen. Terry Link and his Republican counterparts on the ‘Senate Gaming Committee’ will in a world of hurt messing with tavern people’s fun. It appears the ‘gaming companies’ are afraid they might lose money at the slot machines.

Comment by Me Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 6:02 pm
The Bingo License and Tax Act requires Free N’ Fun BarBingo to be licensed and pay a special tax, or be subject to criminal penalties.

Sec. 5. Penalties.
(a) Any person who conducts or knowingly participates in an unlicensed bingo game commits the offense of gambling in violation of Section 28-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012.

And they are conducting a bingo game (Free N’ Fun BarBingo, not the bars). Free N’ Fun BarBingo is paid for the cards and provides the prizes, and its profit is the difference between what it is paid for the cards and what it pays for the prizes.

Sec. 1.1. Definitions. For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:
“Bingo” means a game in which each player has a card or board for which a consideration has been paid . . .

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 6:06 pm
–Free N’ Fun BarBingo is paid for the cards and provides the prizes, and its profit is the difference between what it is paid for the cards and what it pays for the prizes. –

–Instead, Larson’s company collects a flat rate of roughly $200 from the participating bar in exchange for organizing, promoting and hosting the bingo game. Larson’s company markets the event on social media, draws people to weekly bingo games, and sets aside a portion of the revenue into a prize fund. –

By your analysis, what do you think the net score is after expenses on that $200?

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 6:10 pm
If the bars charge to play, explicitly, then it probably is illegal, even though the bar is the one at fault there I think, not the company. But if the bingo is free, and the bar is just getting people in the door, then I don’t think it meets the definition.

Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 7:20 pm
==By your analysis, what do you think the net score is after expenses on that $200? ==

Enough to make it a profitable business, or there wouldn’t be an issue. This isn’t a charity.

From their web site, it looks like only the cash “progressive” prize actually comes from Free N’ Fun BarBingo. The rest come from the bars. Also, these are not separate games played at each bar - look at their schedule, and you’ll see that the same “DJ” is calling the game at multiple locations at the same time, and the price is $200 per bar.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 8:20 pm
Wow, Anon 8:20, it’s amazing that the Outfit hasn’t muscled into this racket with those kind of fat stacks in play.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 8:26 pm
Wow. Terry Link in the news both this week and last week. He’s coming across as a real political caricature and not in a good way.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Nov 8, 17 @ 9:33 pm
I don’t see what the problem is with free bar bingo. Hell, it helps the state. Most of the people play the slots when their done with the bingo game. Not to mention the increase in sales, which also equals more taxes to the state.

Comment by WhatAcrock Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 12:56 pm