Section 1800.1421  Redemption of Video Gaming Tickets During a Coin Shortage

a)         In the event of a coin shortage, the Administrator may grant approval to a terminal operator, upon written request, to redeem gaming tickets and vouchers by mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS).  Factors to be considered by the Administrator in the decision whether to grant approval may include:

1)         Existence of a coin shortage in market areas of the terminal operator;

2)         Numbers of redemption terminals;

3)         Frequency of coin filling and redemptions;

4)         Number of available coin suppliers; and

5)         The size and geographic reach of a terminal operator’s market that may or may not allow it to remedy a deficiency of coins in one area through a surplus in another area where coins are more plentiful.

b)         For the purposes of this Section, a “coin shortage” means the inability of a terminal operator to acquire sufficient U.S. currency to allow its redemption devices to redeem all gaming tickets and vouchers reasonably expected to be redeemed over a seven-day period because the terminal operator’s usual coin suppliers cannot meet the terminal operator’s demand.

c)         Procedures for Approved Coin Shortages

1)         Prior to a terminal operator redeeming gaming tickets or vouchers through the USPS, the terminal operator’s redemption devices shall be programmed to either return unredeemable tickets or vouchers in the full amount, or redeem an amount less than the value of the tickets or vouchers and print a ticket or voucher for the balance of the tickets’ or vouchers’ value.

2)         Prior to electing to redeem a ticket or voucher through the USPS, a patron may, but is not required to, bring the ticket or a voucher printed at the redemption device to the licensed location for redemption.  The licensed location may choose to redeem the value of the ticket or voucher.  A licensed location redeeming tickets or vouchers shall:

A)        Retain all redeemed tickets and vouchers until provided to the terminal operator;

B)        Record the date and time the ticket or voucher was redeemed; and

C)        Maintain and provide any other information requested by the terminal operator related to the ticket or voucher redemption.

3)         A patron may submit the ticket or voucher to the terminal operator for redemption by mail.  If a patron submits a ticket or voucher for redemption by mail, the following shall apply:

A)        The patron shall provide their name and address with the ticket or voucher to be redeemed.

B)        The terminal operator, subject to verifying the ticket or voucher through its internal processes, shall issue payment within 15 days of receipt for the ticket or voucher by mail.

C)        The terminal operator shall reimburse the patron for the cost of mailing the ticket or voucher.  The reimbursement shall be included with the payment for the ticket or voucher mailed to the patron.

(Source:  Added at 46 Ill. Reg. 5530, effective March 16, 2022)