SB3668 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 17155 AMC 62353 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB3668

Introduced 2/10/2012, by Sen. Terry Link

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 1605/7.12
230 ILCS 15/2	from Ch. 85, par. 2302
720 ILCS 5/28-1	from Ch. 38, par. 28-1

Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the internet pilot program. Amends the Raffles Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning licensing. Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning gambling.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning gambling.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Lottery Law is amended by changing Section 7.12 as follows:

(20 ILCS 1605/7.12)

Sec. 7.12. Internet pilot program. The The General Assembly finds that:

(1) the consumer market in Illinois has changed since the creation of the Illinois State Lottery in 1974;

(2) the Internet has become an integral part of everyday life for a significant number of Illinois residents not only in regards to their professional life, but also in regards to personal business and communication; and

(3) the current practices of selling lottery tickets does not appeal to the new form of market participants who prefer to make purchases on the internet at their own convenience.

It is the intent of the General Assembly to create an Internet pilot program for the sale of lottery tickets to capture this new form of market participant.

The Department shall create a pilot program that allows an individual 18 years of age or older to purchase lottery tickets or shares on the Internet without using a Lottery retailer with on-line status, as those terms are defined by rule. The Department shall restrict the sale of lottery tickets on the Internet to transactions initiated and received or otherwise made exclusively within the State of Illinois. The Department shall adopt rules necessary for the administration of this program. These rules shall include requirements for marketing of the Lottery to infrequent players. The provisions of this Act and the rules adopted under this Act shall apply to the sale of lottery tickets or shares under this program.

Before beginning the pilot program, the Department of the Lottery must submit a request to the United States Department of Justice for review of the State's plan to implement a pilot program for the sale of lottery tickets on the Internet and its propriety under federal law. The Department shall implement the Internet pilot program only if the Department of Justice does not object to the implementation of the program within a reasonable period of time after its review.

The Department is obligated to implement the pilot program set forth in this Section and Sections 7.15 and 7.16 only at such time, and to such extent, that the Department of Justice does not object to the implementation of the program within a reasonable period of time after its review. While the Illinois Lottery may only offer Lotto and Mega Millions games through the pilot program, the Department shall request review from the federal Department of Justice for the Illinois Lottery to sell lottery tickets on the Internet on behalf of the State of Illinois that are not limited to just these games.

The Department shall authorize the private manager to implement and administer the program pursuant to the management agreement entered into under Section 9.1 and in a manner consistent with the provisions of this Section. If a private manager has not been selected pursuant to Section 9.1 at the time the Department is obligated to implement the pilot program, then the Department shall not proceed with the pilot program until after the selection of the private manager, at which time the Department shall authorize the private manager to implement and administer the program pursuant to the management agreement entered into under Section 9.1 and in a manner consistent with the provisions of this Section.

The pilot program shall last for not less than 36 months, but not more than 48 months from the date of its initial operation.

Nothing in this Section shall be construed as prohibiting the Department from implementing and operating a website portal whereby individuals who are 18 years of age or older with an Illinois mailing address may apply to purchase lottery tickets via subscription.

(Source: P.A. 96-34, eff. 7-13-09; 96-37, eff. 7-13-09; 96-840, eff. 12-23-09; 97-464, eff. 10-15-11.)

Section 10. The Raffles Act is amended by changing Section 2 as follows:

(230 ILCS 15/2) (from Ch. 85, par. 2302)

Sec. 2. Licensing. (a) The The governing body of any county or municipality within this State may establish a system for the licensing of organizations to operate raffles. The governing bodies of a county and one or more municipalities may, pursuant to a written contract, jointly establish a system for the licensing of organizations to operate raffles within any area of contiguous territory not contained within the corporate limits of a municipality which is not a party to such contract. The governing bodies of two or more adjacent counties or two or more adjacent municipalities located within a county may, pursuant to a written contract, jointly establish a system for the licensing of organizations to operate raffles within the corporate limits of such counties or municipalities. The licensing authority may establish special categories of licenses and promulgate rules relating to the various categories. The licensing system shall provide for limitations upon (1) the aggregate retail value of all prizes or merchandise awarded by a licensee in a single raffle, (2) the maximum retail value of each prize awarded by a licensee in a single raffle, (3) the maximum price which may be charged for each raffle chance issued or sold and (4) the maximum number of days during which chances may be issued or sold. The licensing system may include a fee for each license in an amount to be determined by the local governing body. Licenses issued pursuant to this Act shall be valid for one raffle or for a specified number of raffles to be conducted during a specified period not to exceed one year and may be suspended or revoked for any violation of this Act. A local governing body shall act on a license application within 30 days from the date of application. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a county or municipality from adopting rules or ordinances for the operation of raffles that are more restrictive than provided for in this Act. The governing body of a municipality may authorize the sale of raffle chances only within the borders of the municipality. The governing body of the county may authorize the sale of raffle chances only in those areas which are both within the borders of the county and outside the borders of any municipality.

(b) Licenses shall be issued only to bona fide religious, charitable, labor, business, fraternal, educational or veterans' organizations that operate without profit to their members and which have been in existence continuously for a period of 5 years immediately before making application for a license and which have had during that entire 5 year period a bona fide membership engaged in carrying out their objects, or to a non-profit fundraising organization that the licensing authority determines is organized for the sole purpose of providing financial assistance to an identified individual or group of individuals suffering extreme financial hardship as the result of an illness, disability, accident or disaster.

For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply. Non-profit: An organization or institution organized and conducted on a not-for-profit basis with no personal profit inuring to any one as a result of the operation. Charitable: An organization or institution organized and operated to benefit an indefinite number of the public. The service rendered to those eligible for benefits must also confer some benefit on the public. Educational: An organization or institution organized and operated to provide systematic instruction in useful branches of learning by methods common to schools and institutions of learning which compare favorably in their scope and intensity with the course of study presented in tax-supported schools. Religious: Any church, congregation, society, or organization founded for the purpose of religious worship. Fraternal: An organization of persons having a common interest, the primary interest of which is to both promote the welfare of its members and to provide assistance to the general public in such a way as to lessen the burdens of government by caring for those that otherwise would be cared for by the government. Veterans: An organization or association comprised of members of which substantially all are individuals who are veterans or spouses, widows, or widowers of veterans, the primary purpose of which is to promote the welfare of its members and to provide assistance to the general public in such a way as to confer a public benefit. Labor: An organization composed of workers organized with the objective of betterment of the conditions of those engaged in such pursuit and the development of a higher degree of efficiency in their respective occupations. Business: A voluntary organization composed of individuals and businesses who have joined together to advance the commercial, financial, industrial and civic interests of a community.

(Source: P.A. 86-820.)

Section 15. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by changing Section 28-1 as follows:

(720 ILCS 5/28-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 28-1)

Sec. 28-1. Gambling.

(a) A person commits gambling when he:

(1) Plays a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value, unless excepted in subsection (b) of this Section; or

(2) Makes a wager upon the the result of any game, contest, or any political nomination, appointment or election; or

(3) Operates, keeps, owns, uses, purchases, exhibits, rents, sells, bargains for the sale or lease of, manufactures or distributes any gambling device; or

(4) Contracts to have or give himself or another the option to buy or sell, or contracts to buy or sell, at a future time, any grain or other commodity whatsoever, or any stock or security of any company, where it is at the time of making such contract intended by both parties thereto that the contract to buy or sell, or the option, whenever exercised, or the contract resulting therefrom, shall be settled, not by the receipt or delivery of such property, but by the payment only of differences in prices thereof; however, the issuance, purchase, sale, exercise, endorsement or guarantee, by or through a person registered with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 8 of the Illinois Securities Law of 1953, or by or through a person exempt from such registration under said Section 8, of a put, call, or other option to buy or sell securities which have been registered with the Secretary of State or which are exempt from such registration under Section 3 of the Illinois Securities Law of 1953 is not gambling within the meaning of this paragraph (4); or

(5) Knowingly owns or possesses any book, instrument or apparatus by means of which bets or wagers have been, or are, recorded or registered, or knowingly possesses any money which he has received in the course of a bet or wager; or

(6) Sells pools upon the result of any game or contest of skill or chance, political nomination, appointment or election; or

(7) Sets up or promotes any lottery or sells, offers to sell or transfers any ticket or share for any lottery; or

(8) Sets up or promotes any policy game or sells, offers to sell or knowingly possesses or transfers any policy ticket, slip, record, document or other similar device; or

(9) Knowingly drafts, prints or publishes any lottery ticket or share, or any policy ticket, slip, record, document or similar device, except for such activity related to lotteries, bingo games and raffles authorized by and conducted in accordance with the laws of Illinois or any other state or foreign government; or

(10) Knowingly advertises any lottery or policy game, except for such activity related to lotteries, bingo games and raffles authorized by and conducted in accordance with the laws of Illinois or any other state; or

(11) Knowingly transmits information as to wagers, betting odds, or changes in betting odds by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore or similar means; or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of such information; except that nothing in this subdivision (11) prohibits transmission or receipt of such information for use in news reporting of sporting events or contests; or

(12) Knowingly establishes, maintains, or operates an Internet site that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet or to make a wager upon the result of any game, contest, political nomination, appointment, or election by means of the Internet. This item (12) does not apply to activities referenced in items (6) and (6.1) of subsection (b) of this Section.

(b) Participants in any of the following activities shall not be convicted of gambling therefor:

(1) Agreements to compensate for loss caused by the happening of chance including without limitation contracts of indemnity or guaranty and life or health or accident insurance.

(2) Offers of prizes, award or compensation to the actual contestants in any bona fide contest for the determination of skill, speed, strength or endurance or to the owners of animals or vehicles entered in such contest.

(3) Pari-mutuel betting as authorized by the law of this State.

(4) Manufacture of gambling devices, including the acquisition of essential parts therefor and the assembly thereof, for transportation in interstate or foreign commerce to any place outside this State when such transportation is not prohibited by any applicable Federal law; or the manufacture, distribution, or possession of video gaming terminals, as defined in the Video Gaming Act, by manufacturers, distributors, and terminal operators licensed to do so under the Video Gaming Act.

(5) The game commonly known as "bingo", when conducted in accordance with the Bingo License and Tax Act.

(6) Lotteries when conducted by the State of Illinois in accordance with the Illinois Lottery Law. This exemption includes any activity conducted by the Department of Revenue to sell lottery tickets pursuant to the provisions of the Illinois Lottery Law and its rules.

(6.1) The purchase of lottery tickets through the Internet for a lottery conducted by the State of Illinois under the program established in Section 7.12 of the Illinois Lottery Law.

(7) Possession of an antique slot machine that is neither used nor intended to be used in the operation or promotion of any unlawful gambling activity or enterprise. For the purpose of this subparagraph (b)(7), an antique slot machine is one manufactured 25 years ago or earlier.

(8) Raffles when conducted in accordance with the Raffles Act.

(9) Charitable games when conducted in accordance with the Charitable Games Act.

(10) Pull tabs and jar games when conducted under the Illinois Pull Tabs and Jar Games Act.

(11) Gambling games conducted on riverboats when authorized by the Riverboat Gambling Act.

(12) Video gaming terminal games at a licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed veterans establishment when conducted in accordance with the Video Gaming Act.

(13) Games of skill or chance where money or other things of value can be won but no payment or purchase is required to participate.

(c) Sentence.

Gambling under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this Section is a Class A misdemeanor. Gambling under any of subsections (a)(3) through (a)(11) of this Section is a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent conviction under any of subsections (a)(3) through (a)(11), is a Class 4 felony. Gambling under subsection (a)(12) of this Section is a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent conviction under subsection (a)(12) is a Class 4 felony.

(d) Circumstantial evidence.

In prosecutions under subsection (a)(1) through (a)(12) of this Section circumstantial evidence shall have the same validity and weight as in any criminal prosecution.

(Source: P.A. 96-34, eff. 7-13-09; 96-37, eff. 7-13-09; 96-1203, eff. 7-22-10.)