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Illinois gambling regulators have proposed rules that would require identity verification before players buy video gambling vouchers, extending the state’s voluntary self-exclusion program to video gambling terminals.
The Illinois Gaming Board unanimously approved the proposed rules and sent them to the General Assembly’s rulemaking committee for review, according to the report published by YourValley.net. The proposal also would allow cashless wagering and player rewards programs. No West Virginia-specific change was reported.
Identity checks would replace direct cash play
Under the proposal, video gambling machines would no longer accept cash directly. Instead, players would purchase vouchers from a payout device, using cash or digital payments through a video gaming account.
Identity verification would confirm that players are at least 21 and are not on the state’s self-exclusion list before they purchase vouchers. The checks are intended to close a gap in protections for people who voluntarily bar themselves from gambling.
The Gaming Board identified extending self-exclusion coverage to video gambling as a public health priority. Administrator Marcus Fruchter described the proposal as “another critical step forward.”
The change would cover a substantial gambling market: Illinois has roughly 50,000 video gaming machines. According to the report, players lost more than $3.3 billion on those machines last fiscal year, generating more than $1 billion in state and local tax revenue.
Cashless accounts would carry player safeguards
Operators offering video gaming accounts would have to provide responsible gambling limits and prevent self-excluded people from opening accounts. They also would be prohibited from sending promotional materials to people on the self-exclusion list.
The proposed rules would permit operators to offer player reward programs to non-excluded players. Those permissions are part of the same proposal as the new identity checks; they are not already implemented changes.
Review and technology upgrades remain ahead
The rulemaking review typically takes six months to a year and includes opportunities for public comment. The proposal therefore remains subject to review rather than being a final operating requirement.
The Gaming Board has contracted with LNW Gaming to upgrade the state’s machines so they can connect with the self-exclusion list while maintaining data privacy protections. Fruchter said that work would be ready to deploy in 2027. That technology timeline does not establish a final effective date for the rules.
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Source: As reported by The Daily Independent at YourValley.net.
