Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB2947 Latest Draft

Bill / Engrossed Version Filed 03/27/2025

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1  AN ACT concerning gaming.
2  Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3  represented in the General Assembly:
4  Section 5. The Illinois Gambling Act is amended by
5  changing Section 9 as follows:
6  (230 ILCS 10/9)    (from Ch. 120, par. 2409)
7  Sec. 9. Occupational licenses.
8  (a) The Board may issue an occupational license to an
9  applicant upon the payment of a non-refundable fee set by the
10  Board, upon a determination by the Board that the applicant is
11  eligible for an occupational license and upon payment of an
12  annual license fee in an amount to be established. To be
13  eligible for an occupational license, an applicant must:
14  (1) be at least 21 years of age if the applicant will
15  perform any function involved in gaming by patrons. Any
16  applicant seeking an occupational license for a non-gaming
17  function shall be at least 18 years of age;
18  (2) not have been convicted of a felony offense, a
19  violation of Article 28 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the
20  Criminal Code of 2012, or a similar statute of any other
21  jurisdiction if the applicant will perform any function
22  involved in gaming by patrons;
23  (2.5) not have been convicted of a crime, other than a

 

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1  crime described in item (2) of this subsection (a),
2  involving dishonesty or moral turpitude if the applicant
3  will perform any function involved in gaming by patrons,
4  except that the Board may, in its discretion, issue an
5  occupational license to a person who has been convicted of
6  a crime described in this item (2.5) more than 10 years
7  prior to his or her application and has not subsequently
8  been convicted of any other crime;
9  (3) have demonstrated a level of skill or knowledge
10  which the Board determines to be necessary in order to
11  operate gambling aboard a riverboat, in a casino, or at an
12  organization gaming facility; and
13  (4) have met standards for the holding of an
14  occupational license as adopted by rules of the Board.
15  Such rules shall provide that any person or entity seeking
16  an occupational license to manage gambling operations
17  under this Act shall be subject to background inquiries
18  and further requirements similar to those required of
19  applicants for an owners license. Furthermore, such rules
20  shall provide that each such entity shall be permitted to
21  manage gambling operations for only one licensed owner.
22  (b) Each application for an occupational license shall be
23  on forms prescribed by the Board and shall contain all
24  information required by the Board. The applicant shall set
25  forth in the application: whether he has been issued prior
26  gambling related licenses; whether he has been licensed in any

 

 

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1  other state under any other name, and, if so, such name and his
2  age; and whether or not a permit or license issued to him in
3  any other state has been suspended, restricted or revoked,
4  and, if so, for what period of time.
5  (c) Each applicant shall submit with his application, on
6  forms provided by the Board, 2 sets of his fingerprints. The
7  Board shall charge each applicant a fee set by the Illinois
8  State Police to defray the costs associated with the search
9  and classification of fingerprints obtained by the Board with
10  respect to the applicant's application. These fees shall be
11  paid into the State Police Services Fund. This subsection (c)
12  does not apply to the non-gaming occupational identification
13  badge issued under subsection (j).
14  (d) The Board may in its discretion refuse an occupational
15  license to any person: (1) who is unqualified to perform the
16  duties required of such applicant; (2) who fails to disclose
17  or states falsely any information called for in the
18  application; (3) who has been found guilty of a violation of
19  this Act or whose prior gambling related license or
20  application therefor has been suspended, restricted, revoked
21  or denied for just cause in any other state; (4) who has a
22  background, including a criminal record, reputation, habits,
23  social or business associations, or prior activities, that
24  poses a threat to the public interests of this State or to the
25  security and integrity of gaming; or (5) for any other just
26  cause. When considering criminal convictions of an applicant,

 

 

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1  the Board shall consider the following factors:
2  (1) the length of time since the conviction;
3  (2) the number of convictions that appear on the
4  conviction record;
5  (3) the nature and severity of the conviction and its
6  relationship to the safety and security of others or the
7  integrity of gaming;
8  (4) the facts or circumstances surrounding the
9  conviction;
10  (5) the age of the employee at the time of the
11  conviction; and
12  (6) evidence of rehabilitation efforts.
13  (e) The Board may suspend, revoke or restrict any
14  occupational licensee: (1) for violation of any provision of
15  this Act; (2) for violation of any of the rules and regulations
16  of the Board; (3) for any cause which, if known to the Board,
17  would have disqualified the applicant from receiving such
18  license; or (4) for default in the payment of any obligation or
19  debt due to the State of Illinois; or (5) for any other just
20  cause.
21  (f) A person who knowingly makes a false statement on an
22  application is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
23  (g) Any license issued pursuant to this Section shall be
24  valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance.
25  (h) Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to prohibit a
26  licensed owner or organization gaming licensee from entering

 

 

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1  into an agreement with a public community college or a school
2  approved under the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act
3  of 2012 for the training of any occupational licensee. Any
4  training offered by such a school shall be in accordance with a
5  written agreement between the licensed owner or organization
6  gaming licensee and the school.
7  (i) Any training provided for occupational licensees may
8  be conducted either at the site of the gambling facility or at
9  a school with which a licensed owner or organization gaming
10  licensee has entered into an agreement pursuant to subsection
11  (h).
12  (j) The Board shall not require individuals hired
13  exclusively to perform functions that are not related in any
14  way to gaming operations to hold an occupational license. The
15  Board shall issue a non-gaming occupational identification
16  badge upon submission of an application and payment of a
17  nonrefundable annual fee set by the Board. To be eligible for a
18  non-gaming occupational identification badge, the individual
19  must:
20  (1) be at least 18 years of age;
21  (2) have passed a background check completed by a
22  licensed owner or organization gaming licensee; and
23  (3) pass an annual background check completed by a
24  licensed owner or organization gaming licensee.
25  The Board has the authority to rescind non-gaming
26  occupational identification badges for (i) any reasons

 

 

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1  provided under Section 9 of this Act and the Board's adopted
2  rules or (ii) any misconduct related to the performance of the
3  holder's job duties. All individuals holding non-gaming
4  occupational identification badges are subject to the
5  jurisdiction of the Board and the Board's standards and
6  adopted rules.
7  (Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 103-550, eff. 1-1-24.)
8  Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9  becoming law.

 

 

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