The City of Evanston’s Human Services Committee will discuss Monday provisions in a new ordinance that could allow video gaming in the city.
Aldo. Devon Reed (No. 8) is pushing for repeal of the ban, and city officials say a recent amendment to state law 230 ILCS 40/27(b) would allow nationally recognized veterans organizations and fraternal organizations to We found that it allows us to receive state approval. Operating video games despite local government bans.
These groups can own up to six video gaming terminals each under the state’s override rule, but if the city chooses to allow video gaming, they can have one terminal per facility. It appears that there may be, and may be, a limit to. There is only one licensed facility in the city.
A city staff memo identifies American Legion Post 42 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7186 as organizations in Evanston that can apply for video game licenses under state law.
However, the VFW Post currently meets at the Fleetwood Jardine Center in the city. Under state law, 230 ILCS 40/55, the use of video gaming terminals is only allowed in establishments licensed to sell alcohol, which would give Fleetwood the means to ban video gaming.
The American Legion Garrison has a liquor license but operates out of a property at 1030 Central St., which property records list as city-owned.
It’s unclear whether the city could ban video games as a condition of a group’s lease, even if it amended the ordinance that currently bans all video games in the city.
Evanston Now emailed leaders of both veterans groups asking for comment on whether they would be interested in obtaining a video game license. We will update this story if we hear back from them.
The city staff memo does not specify which fraternities may qualify for video game licenses here.
Evanston was one of the first communities to ban video game consoles when the state first legalized them in 2009, along with Aldo. Melissa Wynn (3rd place) said at the time, “I don’t think there are any aspects of these machines that are beneficial to the community.”
The Illinois Gaming Commission announced that municipalities in the state received $144 million, or 5 percent, of the $2.9 billion lost to video game play at licensed facilities in Illinois last year.
Municipalities with the highest incomes included Springfield at $2.51 million, Cicero at $1.77 million, Joliet at $1.64 million, Waukegan at $1.49 million and Champaign at $1.25 million.
Video games are not allowed in the communities directly adjacent to Evanston: Chicago, Skokie, and Wilmette.
In 2019, Reed’s predecessor, Alder Ward 8 Mayor Anne Rainey, unsuccessfully pushed to lift the ban on video games as a way to close the city’s budget gap.
At the time, Niles was said to be making $377,000 a year from video games. The state said Niles received $923,000 from gaming machines last year.
