HB4615 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 16364 HLH 30159 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4615

Introduced 2/3/2026, by Rep. Natalie A. Manley

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

230 ILCS 30/8	from Ch. 120, par. 1128
230 ILCS 30/12	from Ch. 120, par. 1132

Amends the Charitable Games Act. Provides that noncash prizes shall be of nominal value or be donated to the organization conducting the game. Provides that civil penalties imposed under the Act shall not exceed $500 for each separate violation committed during the first event and $1,500 for each separate violation committed at subsequent events. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning gaming.

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

Section 5. The Charitable Games Act is amended by changing Sections 8 and 12 as follows:

(230 ILCS 30/8) (from Ch. 120, par. 1128)

Sec. 8. The conducting of charitable games is subject to the following restrictions:

(1) The entire net proceeds from charitable games must be exclusively devoted to the lawful purposes of the organization permitted to conduct that game.

(2) No person except a bona fide member or employee of the sponsoring organization, or a volunteer recruited by the sponsoring organization, may participate in the management or operation of the game. A person participates in the management or operation of a charitable game when he or she sells admission tickets at the event; sells, redeems, or in any way assists in the selling or redeeming of chips, scrip, or play money; participates in the conducting of any of the games played during the event, or supervises, directs or instructs anyone conducting a game; or at any time during the hours of the charitable games event counts, handles, or supervises anyone counting or handling any of the proceeds or chips, scrip, or play money at the event. A person who is present to ensure that the games are being conducted in conformance with the rules established by the licensed organization or is present to insure that the equipment is working properly is considered to be participating in the management or operation of a game. Setting up, cleaning up, selling food and drink, or providing security for persons or property at the event does not constitute participation in the management or operation of the game.

Only bona fide members, volunteers as defined in Section 2 of this Act, and employees of the sponsoring organization may participate in the management or operation of the games. Participation in the management or operation of the games is limited to no more than 12 charitable games events, either of the sponsoring organization or any other licensed organization, during a calendar year.

(3) No person may receive any remuneration or compensation either directly or indirectly from any source for participating in the management or operation of the game.

(4) No single bet at any house-banked game may exceed $20.

(5) A bank shall be established on the premises to convert currency into chips, scrip, or other form of play money which shall then be used to play at games of chance which the participant chooses. Chips, scrip, or play money must be permanently monogrammed with the supplier license number or logo or charitable games license number of a licensed organization or of the supplier. Each participant must be issued a receipt indicating the amount of chips, scrip, or play money purchased.

(6) At the conclusion of the event or when the participant leaves, participants he or she may cash in their his or her chips, scrip, or play money in exchange for currency not to exceed $500 in cash winnings or unlimited noncash prizes, which shall be of nominal value or be donated to the organization conducting the game. Each participant shall sign for any receipt of prizes. The licensee shall provide the Department of Revenue with a listing of all prizes awarded, including the retail value of all prizes awarded.

(7) Each licensee shall be permitted to conduct charitable games on not more than 4 days each year. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit a licensee that conducts charitable games on its own premises from also obtaining a providers' license in accordance with Section 7 of this Act.

(8) Unless the provider of the premises is a municipality, the provider of the premises may not rent or otherwise provide the premises for the conducting of more than 12 charitable games nights per calendar year.

(9) A charitable games event is considered to be a one-day event and charitable games may not be played between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and noon.

(10) No person under the age of 18 years may play or participate in the conducting of charitable games. Any person under the age of 18 years may be within the area where charitable games are being played only when accompanied by his parent or guardian.

(11) No one other than the sponsoring organization of charitable games must have a proprietary interest in the game promoted.

(12) Raffles or other forms of gambling prohibited by law shall not be conducted on the premises where charitable games are being conducted.

(13) Such games are not expressly prohibited by county ordinance for charitable games conducted in the unincorporated areas of the county or municipal ordinance for charitable games conducted in the municipality and the ordinance is filed with the Department of Revenue. The Department shall provide each county or municipality with a list of organizations licensed or subsequently authorized by the Department to conduct charitable games in their jurisdiction.

(14) The sale of tangible personal property at charitable games is subject to all State and local taxes and obligations.

(15) Each licensee may offer or conduct only the games listed below, which must be conducted in accordance with rules posted by the organization. The organization sponsoring charitable games shall promulgate rules, and make printed copies available to participants, for the following games: (a) roulette; (b) blackjack; (c) poker; (d) pull tabs; (e) craps; (f) bang; (g) beat the dealer; (h) big six; (i) gin rummy; (j) five card stud poker; (k) chuck-a-luck; (l) keno; (m) hold-em poker; and (n) merchandise wheel. A licensee need not offer or conduct every game permitted by law. The conducting of games not listed above is prohibited by this Act.

(16) No slot machines or coin-in-the-slot-operated devices that allow a participant to play games of chance shall be permitted to be used at the location and during the time at which the charitable games are being conducted. However, establishments that have video gaming terminals licensed under the Video Gaming Act may operate them along with charitable games under rules adopted by the Department.

(17) No cards, dice, wheels, or other equipment may be modified or altered so as to give the licensee a greater advantage in winning, other than as provided under the normal rules of play of a particular game.

(18) No credit shall be extended to any of the participants.

(19) (Blank).

(20) A supplier may have only one representative present at the charitable games event, for the exclusive purpose of ensuring that its equipment is not damaged.

(21) No employee, owner, or officer of a consultant service hired by a licensed organization to perform services at the event including, but not limited to, security for persons or property at the event or services before the event including, but not limited to, training for volunteers or advertising may participate in the management or operation of the games.

(22) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 98-377, eff. 1-1-14; 98-1071, eff. 8-26-14.)

(230 ILCS 30/12) (from Ch. 120, par. 1132)

Sec. 12. Penalties.

(1) Any person who conducts or knowingly participates in an unlicensed charitable game commits the offense of gambling in violation of Section 28-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. Any person who violates any provision of this Act, or any person who fails to file a charitable games return or who files a fraudulent return or application under this Act, or any person who willfully violates any rule or regulation of the Department for the administration and enforcement of this Act, or any officer or agent of an organization licensed under this Act who signs a fraudulent return or application filed on behalf of such an organization, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Any second or subsequent violation of this Act constitutes a Class 4 felony.

(2) Any organization that illegally conducts charitable games, in addition to other penalties provided for in this Act, shall be subject to a civil penalty equal to the amount of gross proceeds derived from those unlicensed games, as well as confiscation and forfeiture of all charitable games equipment used in the conduct of those unlicensed games.

(3) Any organization licensed to conduct charitable games that allows any form of illegal gambling to be conducted on the premises where charitable games are being conducted, in addition to other penalties provided for in this Act, shall be subject to a civil penalty equal to the amount of gross proceeds derived on that day from charitable games and any illegal game that may have been conducted, as well as confiscation and forfeiture of all charitable games equipment used in the conduct of any unlicensed or illegal games.

(4) Any person who violates any provision of this Act or knowingly violates any rule of the Department for the administration of this Act, in addition to other penalties provided, shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500 $250 for each separate violation committed during the first event and $1,500 for each separate violation committed at subsequent events.

(5) No person shall sell, lease, or distribute for compensation within this State, or possess with intent to sell, lease, or distribute for compensation within this State, any chips, representations of money, wheels, or any devices or equipment designed for use or used in the play of charitable games without first having obtained a license to do so from the Department of Revenue. Any person that knowingly violates this paragraph is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, the fine for which shall not exceed $50,000.

(Source: P.A. 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.