In the face of differing approaches to video gambling across Illinois, the Village of Lemont just green-lighted electronic gaming in local businesses, while neighbors in Homer Glen weigh the pros and cons of allowing similar activity at their truck stops. With a unanimous vote, Lemont's trustees at the recent board meeting decided to let businesses welcome gamblers at approved establishments, potentially by next month, if the state grants the necessary licenses, reported Patch.com.
Detailing a bit further, the ordinance aligns with state rules requiring video gambling machines to be restricted to licensed truck stops, fraternal establishments, or places holding liquor licenses. On top of that, only players aged 21 and over are permitted in the gaming area, which must be clearly visible to the establishment's bartender - which establishments this condition applies to was not immediately clear. Homer Glen, meanwhile, tightened reins on their gaming licenses, raising fees and square footage requirements, and mandating a business must operate for a whole year and earn at least 60% of revenue from food and drink sales to host gaming machines, as per Chicago Tribune.
There's a notable divide in attitudes between the two Villages. Lemont's Trustee Jeanette Virgilio expressed a laissez-faire philosophy, stating in a Patch.com interview, "Less government is more." Contrastingly, Homer Glen's Trustee Jennifer Consolino revealed a tension in meeting budget needs with the desire to control gaming's spread: "I love the tax revenue that it generates because it doesn’t burden our residents," she told the Chicago Tribune, "On the other hand, I feel like we are getting inundated."
Owners of establishments in Lemont anticipate this move to be a shot in the arm for their businesses. "There are a lot of people out there who like to play video poker, so we think having the machines will generate extra business not only for us, but other bars and restaurants in Lemont," Stonehouse Pub’s Norb Siwek said in an earlier interview with Patch.com. Homer Glen, placing control on gaming's prevalence, particularly at truck stops, contemplates the balance of local revenue versus potential neighborhood disruptions. Sue Steilen, one of the trustees, proposed excluding truck stops from receiving gaming licenses altogether, highlighting a split in strategy between the two municipalities.
With this ordinance, Lemont joins other Illinois towns embracing the Video Gaming Act of 2009, while approximately 300 municipalities choose otherwise, steering clear of video gaming, including nearby Homer Glen, Lockport, and Bolingbrook among others. In Homer Glen, trustees may revisit the issue, especially in light of the revenue that might be lost to adjacent towns that are more gaming-friendly. Despite the moratorium on new gaming licenses extending into May, and the failed vote to remove truck stops from the gaming ordinance, the discussion is far from over in Homer Glen, Chicago Tribune reported.
