July 30, 2010
To the Honorable
Members of the
96th General
Assembly
As Governor, I am
committed to ensuring that the video gaming industry in our State operates with
the utmost integrity. I have always been a proponent of strong ethics reforms and
the vigorous enforcement of our laws and I affix my signature to this bill
today with the confidence that the Illinois Gaming Board has the necessary
tools right now to keep unsavory elements far from the video gaming industry.
My decision today
was not made without deep consideration of its impact. After careful
deliberation, it is evident to me that there are appropriate safeguards and
ample authority in existing law to prevent objectionable operators from
conducting video gaming in Illinois. The Gaming Board will be able to continue
to deny licenses to those entities who pose a threat to the public interest of
the State, present a threat to the security of video gaming, create a risk of
unsuitable practices, or operate with unsound business practices. Moreover, the
Gaming Board will also retain the ability to adopt appropriate administrative
rules to safeguard the integrity of the video gaming industry.
It must also be
noted that without the amendments contained in this bill, veterans and
fraternal organizations across Illinois will lose their ability to operate
machines for amusement purposes at midnight on August 1, 2010.
For years, these
machines have been a source of recreation to veterans, their family members,
and friends. There are more than 1000 veterans’ posts statewide that serve our
communities and many of them have machines for amusement purposes. The sudden
elimination of these machines will threaten the survival of scores of worthy
veterans’ posts. I do not believe that organizations that serve our veterans
should be confronted with having to close their doors.
Therefore,
pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(a) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I
hereby approve House Bill 4927, entitled “AN ACT concerning regulation.”
Sincerely,
PAT QUINN
Governor