Illinois proposes self-exclusion for video gaming machines

Illinois wants its video gaming machines to check who is playing. On 22 October the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) approved a proposed rule that would add video gaming to the state's voluntary Self-Exclusion Program for problem gamblers. People enrolled in the program could then exclude themselves from the state's roughly 50,000 video gaming terminals, which would be enforced through identity checks at the redemption terminals in each venue.

The rule is only a proposal. It now goes to the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) for approval before it can take effect, and the IGB is inviting public comment. Capitol News Illinois, which reported that the board's vote was unanimous, says this review usually takes six months to a year. No start date has been set.

Why it matters

Illinois's self-exclusion program already covers casinos, sports wagering and fantasy contests, but not video gaming terminals. These machines sit in bars, gas stations, hair salons and hotel lobbies across the state, Capitol News Illinois notes; the IGB counts nearly 9,000 licensed video gaming establishments. Capitol News Illinois reports that video gaming is the state's highest-grossing form of wagering, producing more than $1 billion in state and local tax revenue last fiscal year, with players losing more than $3.3 billion.

"Nothing like this has been implemented at the size and scale of the Illinois video gaming market," IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter said in the board's release, describing it as "the largest video gaming network of its kind in the world".

How play would change

According to Capitol News Illinois, the machines would no longer take cash directly. Players would buy vouchers at the redemption terminal instead, either with cash or through a video gaming account. Both routes would need an ID check to confirm the player is at least 21 and not on the self-exclusion list. An account would be optional, and paying cash after the ID check would remain possible.

Cashless accounts

Under the rule, terminal operators could choose to offer cashless play and player rewards through individual accounts. The IGB says these accounts would be funded through approved payment methods and be subject to:

• age and identity verification;
• privacy and security controls;
• know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering requirements;
• player-set responsible gaming limits, which every account must offer.

Operators offering accounts would also have to stop self-excluded people from opening them and could not send them marketing, Capitol News Illinois reports.

Cashless play is the part that will draw debate. Capitol News Illinois cites a six-month case study by Las Vegas-based Acres Manufacturing, which found that cashless players bought 92% more credits per session than cash players. Fruchter told the outlet the board wants to discuss the effect of cashless wagering on spending during the comment period.

How it got here

In September the board revised the program's rules to add tiered enrollment periods and more ways to enroll, and adopted a resolution making video gaming's inclusion official policy. Capitol News Illinois reports that the IGB has contracted LNW Gaming to upgrade the machines so they can connect to the state's exclusion list while protecting players' data.

Other regulators are moving the same way. New Jersey recently adopted online responsible-gaming rules with set risk triggers, and Britain's Gambling Commission has set session standards for Category B gaming machines. In Illinois, sports betting customers recently saw FanDuel bring back its 50-cent bet fee.

Help is available in Illinois through the Illinois Gambling Helpline: call 1-800-GAMBLER, text ILGAMB (833234) or visit AreYouReallyWinning.com.