Restaurateur Requests Barrington Consider Video Gambling

The owner of McGonigal's Pub is asking Barrington consider allowing video gambling, and he’s getting support from other restaurateurs.

Bryan McGonigal has been talking with area restaurant owners about what other towns have been doing about video gambling, which became legal in Illinois in 2009. The Illinois Gaming Board established policies and procedures for license holders late last year. Video gambling went live in October 2012.

Towns and cities could opt into video gambling by changing local ordinances to allow terminals in bars and restaurants with liquor licenses or opt out by not updating those ordinances.

“Why can’t we do this here? It seems like it would be a great thing in town,” McGonigal said. “Why wait till later on? Let’s get the interest now while it’s still hot.”

McGonigal made his request this week to trustees during a Committee of the Whole meeting where attorney Kate Rager, who has worked with businesses on the gaming bill since its inception, explained the process and how video gaming is doing in Illinois. Rager is with Shefsky and Froelich, in Chicago.

“It’s a very regulated world you are living in…they (the Gaming Board) examine everything,” Rager said of the terminal license process. Owners, employees and operators are required to undergo an intensive background check, including submitting fingerprints and tax returns, she said.

Towns and cities receive 5 percent of the revenues generated by each terminal located within its borders. The total revenues last month were $23 million, the Illinois Gaming Board's website states.

“How quickly does the state pay?” Barrington Trustee Tim Roberts said.

It has been taking 15 days for the state to pay the local municipalities and there have been no complaints, Rager said.

There are 1800 live locations with 7,500 terminals, she said.

The number of terminals continues to grow as more communities opt in and change their ordinances. Business owner and Barrington resident Fred Hoffman, owner of Ala Carte Entertainment, has 30 locations, including Moretti's in Lake in the Hills and Bartlett. His businesses are located in towns that allow video gambling and those that don’t, he said.

“We have not had one negative incident since we’ve been operating (terminals). It’s been fantastic,” Hoffman told trustees.

In towns where video gambling is not allowed, his businesses have lost out to other communities that do allow it, Hoffman said.

“It seemed pretty positive,” McGonigal said following the meeting, adding it was just the first meeting on the topic. “There’s no guarantee, but my feeling is they will give it serious consideration.”

Village Manager Jeff Lawler said there will be more meetings to discuss McGonigal’s request. The village may seek public input on the topic. When the video gambling law first took effect, the comments Barrington officials received were mixed.

As a Barrington resident, Hoffman feels video gambling is “like drinking, smoking and other vices. They are legal. People should have a choice,” he said. 

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