LATEST UPDATES: How COVID-19 is Affecting the Video Gaming Industry

May 21, 2021: Please see the important announcement from the Illinois Gaming Board regarding the recent “Bridge Phase” Executive Order and what it means for locations. In summary, fully vaccinated people no longer are required to wear masks. People who are not fully vaccinated are still required to wear masks. Accel will send out additional guidance from the IGB regarding dividers or additional signage requirements once we receive it. If you have any immediate questions, please contact your Relationship Manager. The full IGB announcement is below:

In accordance with CDC guidance and the Bridge Phase Executive Order, the Illinois Gaming Board is providing the following information to video gaming terminal operators and licensed establishments. 

• The CDC updated guidance for fully vaccinated people, indicating that they can resume numerous activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
• The CDC continues to advise that cloth face coverings or masks protect persons who are not fully vaccinated from COVID-19.
• All businesses that offer food or beverages for on-premises consumption—including licensed video gaming establishments, restaurants, bars, grocery stores, and food halls—may continue service for on-premises consumption, as permitted by DCEO guidance (see explanation below). Establishments offering food or beverages for on-premises consumption or for carry-out must ensure that they have an environment where patrons who are not fully vaccinated maintain adequate social distancing.  All businesses covered in this section may permit outdoor on-premises food and beverage consumption in accordance with DCEO guidance and when permitted by local ordinances and regulations.

All Terminal Operators and Establishments Must:

• Adhere to maximum capacity limits according to applicable DCEO or IDPH guidance.
• Ensure that employees who are not fully vaccinated practice social distancing and wear face coverings when social distancing is not always possible.
• Ensure that all spaces where employees may gather, including locker rooms and lunchrooms, allow for social distancing.
• Ensure that all visitors (customers, vendors, etc.) to establishments who are not fully vaccinated can practice social distancing; but if maintaining a six-foot social distance is not be possible at all times, encourage with signage for those visitors to wear face coverings.  
• Continue to take all necessary steps to protect employees and customers by ensuring that any return to work plans adhere to all applicable public health guidance.
• Take proactive measures to ensure compliance with Social Distancing Requirements, including where possible:
• Designate six-foot distances.  Designating with signage, tape, or by other means six-foot spacing for employees and customers to maintain appropriate distance;
• Hand sanitizer and sanitizing products.  Having hand sanitizer and sanitizing products readily available for employees and customers;
• Face Coverings and PPE.  Providing employees with appropriate face coverings and requiring that employees who are not fully vaccinated wear face coverings where maintaining a six-foot social distance is not possible at all times.  When the work circumstances require, providing employees with other PPE in addition to face coverings.

All Terminal Operators and Establishments May:

• Resume normal operation of all video gaming terminals.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), in partnership with IDPH, has developed industry-specific guidance and toolkits to help businesses operate safely and responsibly. These documents are available here. This industry-specific guidance is supplemented and updated by the “Bridge Phase” guidance available here.

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.  Individuals who do not meet these requirements, regardless of age, are not considered fully vaccinated.

May 3, 2021: Applications for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund are now open as of 11 AM CST Monday, May 3rd. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, grants will be allocated to businesses until the fund is depleted. To learn more about the RRF, visit the SBA website.

April 28, 2021: Registration for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund opens Friday, April 30. The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced that registration for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund will open at 8 AM CST on Friday, April 30th. Applications for the fund will open Monday, May 3rd at 11 AM CST. If you plan on applying, we suggest you register beginning on April 30 to ensure your application submission goes smoothly once open starting on May 3.

What is the Restaurant Revitalization Fund?

The RRF provides a total of $28.6 billion in direct relief funds to restaurants and other hard-hit food establishments that have experienced losses due to COVID-19. It will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business

Who is eligible to apply?

• Restaurants
• Food stands, food trucks, food carts
• Caterers
• Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns
• Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars
• Bakeries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Breweries and/or microbreweries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Wineries and distilleries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Inns (onsite sales of food and beverage to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products

To learn more about the RRF, visit the SBA website.

March 25, 2021: Earlier this month, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which established a Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). The RRF earmarks $28.6 billion in funding toward restaurant owners/operators like you, who may have been impacted by COVID-19. The details on how businesses can apply and timelines for when funding will be available are still being developed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). While we wait for the application process to open, we have compiled a summary on what we understand are the highlights of the RRF Act.

The following establishments may be eligible:

• Restaurants;
• Food stands;
• Food trucks;
• Food carts;
• Caterers;
• Saloons;
• Inns;
• Taverns;
• Bars;
• Lounges;
• Brewpubs;
• Tasting rooms;
• Taprooms; and
• Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products, or other similar places of business where the public assembles for the primary purpose of being served food or drink. 

The funds may cover a wide array of costs incurred during the pandemic such as:

• Payroll costs;
• Payments of principal or interest on any mortgage obligation (excluding prepayments);
• Rent payments, including rent under a lease agreement (excluding prepayments);
• Utilities;
• Maintenance expenses, including construction, materials, furniture, fixtures, and equipment to accommodate outdoor seating;
• Supplies, including protective equipment and cleaning materials;
• Food and beverage expenses that are within the scope of the normal business practice of the eligible entity before the covered period;
• Covered supplier costs (as defined in the Small Business Act);
• Operational expenses;
• Paid sick leave; and
• Any other expenses that the Administrator determines to be essential to maintaining the business.

How much funding can a grant recipient receive?

A business may be eligible to receive up to all of its pandemic-related revenue loss within a specified time period. Click here to view the full details on how to calculate an establishment’s pandemic-related revenue loss.

To learn more about the RRF, visit the SBA website. We will also send additional communication as soon as more information is finalized and applications are open.

February 4, 2021: Effective today (2/4/2021), the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Region 4 (Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington  Counties) is moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan.

We anticipate Scientific Games and the IGB will begin to reactivate the extended hours for Region 4 locations beginning tomorrow (2/5/2021) at 8:00 a.m. and may take a full 24-48 hours to fully complete this task. 

For more information, please see the IDPH or Illinois Gaming Board  website.

February 3, 2021: Effective today (2/3/2021), the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Region 8 (DuPage and Kane Counties) and Region 9 (Lake and McHenry Counties) are moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan.

We anticipate Scientific Games and the IGB will begin to reactivate the extended hours for Region 8 and Region 9 locations beginning tomorrow (2/4/2021) at 8:00 a.m. and may take a full 24-48 hours to fully complete this task. 

Below is a summary of Phase 4's guidelines, including resuming normal video gaming operation hours. 

Phase 4 Guideline Summary:

• Video gaming may resume under normal business hours
• Masks must be worn at all times inside the video gaming area
• One person per video gaming terminal limitation (no congregating) 
• Indoor dining and drinking now permitted for parties of up to 10 
• Capacity limit of no more than 50 % occupancy

For more information, please see the IDPH or Illinois Gaming Board website.

February 2, 2021: Effective today (2/2/2021), the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Region 10 (Suburban Cook County) is moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. 

We anticipate Scientific Games and the IGB will begin to reactivate the extended hours for Region 10 locations beginning tomorrow (2/3/2021) at 8:00 a.m. and may take a full 24-48 hours to fully complete this task. 

For more information, please see the IDPH or Illinois Gaming Board website. 

February 1, 2021: Effective today (2/1/2021), the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Region 7 (Will & Kankakee Counties) is moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. With today's announcement, there are now 7 regions in Phase 4:

• Region 1 (Northern): Counties include Jo Davies, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, DeKalb, Carrol, Ogle, Whiteside, Lee and Crawford.
• Region 2 (North Central): Counties include Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, Putnam, Kendall, Grundy, Mercer, Knox, Henderson, Warren, McDonough, Fulton, Stark, Marshall, Peoria, Tazewell, McLean, Woodford, Livingston and LaSalle.
• Region 3 (West Central): Counties include Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Jersey, Greene, Scott, Brown, Schuyler, Cass, Morgan, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Sangamon, Logan, Menard and Mason.
• Region 5 (Southern): Counties include Marion, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Jackson, Franklin, Williamson, Saline, Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Massac and Pulaski.
• Region 6 (East Central): Counties include Iroquois, Ford, DeWitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermillion, Macon, Moultrie, Douglas, Edgar, Shelby, Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Crawford, Clay, Richland and Lawrence.
• Region 7 (South Suburban): Counties include Will and Kankakee.
• Region 11 (Chicago): City of Chicago 

We anticipate Scientific Games and the IGB will begin to reactivate the extended hours for Region 7 locations beginning tomorrow (2/2/2021) at 8:00AM and may take a full 24-48 hours to fully complete this task. 

Below is a summary of Phase 4's guidelines, including resuming normal video gaming operation hours. 

Phase 4 Guideline Summary:

• Video gaming may resume under normal business hours
• Masks must be worn at all times inside the video gaming area
• One person per video gaming terminal limitation (no congregating) 
• Indoor dining and drinking now permitted for parties of up to 10 
• Capacity limit of no more than 50 % occupancy 

The rest of the IL regions remain in the following mitigations, but are all trending in the right direction to move to Phase 4 soon (Region 10 could be announced as soon as tomorrow) .

• Tier 1:
  • Region 10 (North Suburban): Suburban Cook County
  • Region 8 (West Suburban): Counties include Kane and DuPage.
  • Region 9 (North Suburban): Counties include McHenry and Lake. 
• Tier 2:
  • Region 4 (Metro East): Counties include Bond, Madison, St. Clair, Clinton, Washington, Monroe and Randolph.

For more information, please see the IDPH or Illinois Gaming Board website. 

January 25, 2021: Effective today, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Region 1 (Northern) and Region 2 (North Central) are moving to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. With today's announcement, there are now 5 regions in Tier 4:

• Region 1 (Northern): Counties include Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, DeKalb, Carroll, Ogle, Whiteside, Lee and Crawford.
• Region 2 (North Central): Counties include Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, Putnam, Kendall, Grundy, Mercer, Knox, Henderson, Warren, McDonough, Fulton, Stark, Marshall, Peoria, Tazewell, McLean, Woodford, Livingston and LaSalle.
• Region 3 (West Central): Counties include Hancock, Adams, Pike, Calhoun, Jersey, Greene, Scott, Brown, Schuyler, Cass, Morgan, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Sangamon, Logan, Menard, and Mason. 
• Region 5 (Southern): Counties include Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White and Williamson.
• Region 6 (East Central): Counties include Iroquois, Ford, DeWitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermillion, Macon, Moultrie, Douglas, Edgar, Shelby, Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Crawford, Clay, Richland and Lawrence.

Below is a summary of Phase 4's guidelines, including resuming normal video gaming operation hours. 

Phase 4 Guideline Summary:

• Video gaming may resume under normal business hours
• Masks must be worn at all times inside the video gaming area
• One person per video gaming terminal limitation (no congregating) 
• Indoor dining and drinking now permitted for parties of up to 10 
• Capacity limit of no more than 50 % occupancy 

The rest of the IL regions remain in the following mitigations: 

• Tier 1: Region 7 (South Suburban), Region 10 (North Suburban) and Region 11 (Chicago)
• Tier 2: Region 4 (Metro East), Region 8 (West Suburban), and Region 9 (North Suburban) 

For more information, please see the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) or Illinois Gaming Board website. 

January 22, 2021: Please see below for Region 4 relaunch information as well as the Illinois Department of Public Health's latest Regional COVID-19 Resurgence update.

• $60 million for Heavily Impacted Industries, such as movie theatres, performing arts venues, concert venues, indoor recreation, amusement parks, and more.
• $70 million for Disproportionately Impacted Areas, defined by zip code for communities that are most economically distressed and vulnerable to COVID-19.  A map of DIAs is shown at the bottom of this page.
• Over $100 million for Downstate Communities
• Apart from the $60 million for heavily impacted industries, the following types of businesses will be prioritized:
• businesses directly affected by regional mitigations implemented by state or local governments,
• independently owned retail,
• tourism- and hospitality-related industries, and more.
• Loan Forgiveness for Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan recipients Grants will go to businesses that have received loans or remain on the wait list and the program will sunset.

For more information, please visit:Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website.

Beginning October 3, 2020, food and beverage service in video gaming locations in Region 1 (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago Counties) is suspended. Outdoor service, curbside and carryout is permitted. Current mitigation measures will remain in effect, so that all video gaming operations at all licensed video gaming locations in Region 1 will be limited to the hours of 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily - with no exceptions.

We continue our on-going discussions with the Illinois Gaming Board (“IGB”) and our trade association regarding re-launch plans. Please know we are ready to resume operations as soon as we get the green light from the IGB.

In other news, the President signed into law an additional $484 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) that includes more funding for small businesses.  Amendments were made to the federal PPP which could benefit many establishments. All legalized and regulated small businesses are now considered eligible for PPP funds if they meet all of the other requirements. This is welcome news because the percent of revenue derived from legalized gaming is no longer considered.

As a reminder, here are a couple state assistance programs that may still be available to many of you. 

State Assistance Programs

Illinois has made available a couple options for small business grants (free money) and loans (need to pay back).  Full details on all of these options can be found by clicking here; and are summarized below:

1. Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund – Businesses with fewer than 50 workers and less than $3m in revenue can apply to receive a low interest loan up to $50k with a 5 year repayment.  There will be no payments for 6 months to support your business. Access the application here

2. Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program – Local governments can apply on behalf of businesses with 50 employees or less in downstate and rural counties across Illinois to secure grants (free money) of up to $25k for working capital (rent, payroll and accounts payable).  Please check to see if your business is in an eligible area.  If you are eligible, you need to work with your local governments. Application information is available here. 

If you have any questions or would like help trying to apply for any of these grant or loan programs, send an email to relief@accelentertainment.com with your phone number and availability and we’ll have somebody work with you to complete the process.

Update April 22, 2020: On Tuesday, April 21, the Senate passed a measure that would inject an additional $300 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The House is expected to vote on the bill on Thursday and it is widely expected to pass.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury Department recently updated their rules for small gaming companies for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Formerly, small businesses could only apply if their gaming revenue was 33% or below. That threshold has now been raised to 50%. Please click here to view the additional clarification by the SBA and Treasury.

We know that these relief programs provide some help, but fall short of covering all who are in need. Here at Accel, we are doing everything we can to assist you and your location during this unprecedented time. If you have any questions or would like help in applying for loan programs, send an email to relief@accelentertainment.com with your phone number and availability and an Accel representative will reach out to help you work through the process.

Update April 15, 2020: The Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury Department updated their rules for small gaming companies for the Paycheck Protection Program. Formerly, small businesses could only apply if their gaming revenue was 33% or below. That threshold has now been raised to 50%. Please click here to view the additional clarification by the SBA and Treasury.

We know that this provides some help but falls short of covering all who are in need. Here at Accel, we are doing everything we can to assist our partner locations during this unprecedented time. If you have any questions or would like help in applying for loan programs, send an email to relief@accelentertainment.com with your phone number and schedule availability and an Accel representative will reach out to help you work through the process.

We also wanted to share a new grant program for employees. Partnering with The Greg Hill Foundation, Samuel Adams has launched the Restaurant Strong Fund. The Restaurant Strong Fund is offering $1,000 to restaurant workers in 20 states, including Illinois. If you know of any employees struggling during this time, we encourage you to send them the application. Please click here to view.

Update April 14, 2020: On Monday, April 13th, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded $14 million in small grants to over 700 bars, restaurants, and hotels. 12,000 businesses applied for funding. In the central region, the first region to announce grants, Accel is pleased to see 19 of our partner location owners received this critical funding.

If you have any questions or would like help in applying for this loan program, send an email to relief@accelentertainment.com with your phone number and schedule availability and an Accel representative will reach out to help you work through the process.

Update April 13, 2020: Please see the highlights below from the April 8 release from the Illinois Gaming Board ("Gaming Board"). The Gaming Board is extending April licensee renewal fee due dates to ten (10) days after the Gaming Board resumes statewide video gaming operations. A copy of the Gaming Board’s press release in its entirety can be read here. 
 
Illinois Gaming Board Notice:
…

The Illinois Gaming Board (the “Gaming Board”) is issuing this guidance to Video Gaming Licensees regarding payment of license renewal fees during the Statewide Video Gaming Suspension Period in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic (the “Suspension Period”).

Prior to the Suspension Period, renewal fees for April licensees were due on or before March 31, 2020. Video Gaming Rule 570 provides that a license expires unless the renewal fee is paid prior to the license expiration date. In recognition of the hardships caused by this unprecedented public health crisis, the Gaming Board has extended the March 31, 2020 renewal fee payment deadline. Renewal fees are now due ten business days after the Gaming Board resumes statewide video gaming operations.

Additionally, and to further alleviate the burdens caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Gaming Board also suspended billing through at least April 30, 2020. During the Suspension Period, the Gaming Board will not initiate any enforcement actions or assess any penalties for unpaid license fees that came due during this period.

State Assistance Programs

Illinois has made available a few options for small business grants (free money) and loans (need to pay back).  Full details on all of these options can be found by clicking here; and are summarized below:

1. Hospitality Emergency Grant Program – Bars and restaurants with under $1m in 2019 revenue can apply for up to $25k in grants (free money) to fund working capital (rent, payroll and accounts payable), job training or technology enabling operations.

Deadline to apply: Wednesday, April 1^st at 5pm. Businesses will be selected through a lottery pool of all applicants.

2. Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund – Businesses with fewer than 50 workers and less than $3M in revenue can apply to receive a low interest loan up to $50K with a 5 year repayment. There will be no payments for 6 months to support your business. The form to express interest in this loan will be available by Friday, March 27th.  Once the form is available, you should apply immediately. 

If selected as an eligible business, you will be invited to apply for the loan beginning April 1st.

3. Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program – Local governments can apply on behalf of businesses with 50 employees or less in downstate and rural counties across Illinois to secure grants (free money) of up to $25K for working capital (rent, payroll and accounts payable). Please check to see if your business is in an eligible area.

For those who qualify, please work with your local government to submit an application which will be available on Friday, March 27^th.

Suspension of Renewal Fees

The Illinois Gaming Board has suspended April license renewal fees in recognition of the hardship COVID-19 has caused.  The fees will now be due 10 business days after the Gaming Board resumes statewide video gaming operations. Click for details.

Federal Stimulus Update

The Senate has passed a federal stimulus package which includes small business loans and cash payments to individuals.  The package still needs to pass through the House of Representatives and be signed into law.  We’ll update you with the specifics of the final package when it becomes law.

If you have any questions or would like help trying to apply for any of these grant or loan programs, send an email to relief@accelentertainment.com with your phone number and availability and we’ll have somebody work with you to complete the process.

Update March 26, 2020: The Illinois Gaming Board (the “Gaming Board”) is issuing this guidance to Video Gaming Licensees regarding payment of license renewal fees during the Statewide Video Gaming Suspension Period in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic (the “Suspension Period”).

Prior to the Suspension Period, renewal fees for April licensees were due on or before March 31,
2020. Video Gaming Rule 570 provides that a license expires unless the renewal fee is paid prior to the license expiration date. In recognition of the hardships caused by this unprecedented public health crisis, the Gaming Board has extended the March 31, 2020 renewal fee payment deadline. Renewal fees are now due ten business days after the Gaming Board resumes statewide video gaming operations. To read the full statement from the IGB, please click here.

Additionally, and to further alleviate the burdens caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Gaming Board also suspended billing through at least April 8, 2020. During the Suspension Period, the Gaming Board will not initiate any enforcement actions or assess any penalties for unpaid license fees that came due during this period.

Update March 25, 2020: Due to Governor Pritzker’s “Stay at Home” directive and the Illinois Gaming Board suspending video gaming operations until at least April 8^th, we have adjusted our operations at Accel to accommodate the change in business during this unprecedented time.  Our call center (888-972-2235) is still open from 6am – 10pm each day to take calls.  If you need to reach us outside of those hours, please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.   

Please know that since the initial suspension of video gaming, the Accel team has been working diligently on our partner locations’ behalf to help them through these difficult times. In addition to other initiatives, we are supporting the “Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act.”

1. To provide your support, click here
2. For details on the Act, click here

Further, Accel has created the “Accel Food and Services Guide” to highlight our partner establishments that are still open during this time. To add your business, please click here.

At this time, there are options available through the State and Federal government to help small businesses:

• Governor Pritzker’s recent issuance of a Disaster Proclamation affords small businesses the option to access Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Assistance Low-Interest Loans. Information is currently available on the SBA website, please click here to learn more.
• The Federal Reserve has announced a “Main Street Lending Program” which can be referenced on federalreserve.gov.
  • This program is designed to supplement any other relief businesses may qualify for from the SBA.  They are finalizing the program as we speak—we will share the details when they come available. 

These programs may be unfamiliar to many. To better support our partner locations, we are working to get a better understanding of how these programs work, what it takes to become eligible, and how to apply. Once we have more specific information on these programs, we will be providing further updates.

Update March 22, 2020: We encourage you to click here to support the Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act (as part of the broader CARES ACT). This plan provides direct and targeted relief designed to benefit restaurant and food service businesses of every size in every corner of the country.

Specifically, the Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act:

• Provides cash-flow assistance through 100 percent federally guaranteed loans to employers who maintain their payroll during this emergency. If employers maintain their payroll, the loans would be forgiven, which would help workers to remain employed and affected small businesses and our economy to quickly snap-back after the crisis.
• Expands the allowable uses for 7(a) loans to permit payroll support, including paid sick leave, supply chain disruptions, employee salaries, mortgage payments, and other debt obligations to provide immediate access to capital for small businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19.
• Provides $240 million in grants for SBA Small Business Development Centers and Women’s Business Centers for counseling, training, and related services for small business owners impacted by COVID-19.
• Authorizes $25 million for SBA to provide grants to associations representing resource partners to establish an online platform that consolidates resources across multiple Federal agencies and a training program to educate small business counselors on those resources to ensure counselors are directing small businesses appropriately.
• Provides $10 million in grants for Minority Business Development Agency’s Minority Business Centers to offer small business owners impacted by COVID-19 counseling, training, and technical assistance.
• Waives the non-federal match requirement for Women’s Business Center’s for a period of three months.

Please take a few moments to participate in this vital grassroots mobilization effort.

Accel Entertainment supports the decision to protect the safety of our fellow Illinois citizens. We also acknowledge and respect the financial impact and strain that such closures will have on our partner establishments. Rest assured that Accel Entertainment is working around the clock to best help our partners.

Accel Entertainment representatives will attempt to visit every location to clean and sanitize the VGTs and the gaming area surrounding them during the shutdown. The health and safety of our players and partner establishments is of paramount importance to Accel Entertainment and we are not taking this situation lightly. In order to best coordinate our sanitization initiative, we urge our location owners to reach out to their Accel representative or call us at (888) 972-2235.

If you have any questions about these latest industry updates, please contact us at hello@accelentertainment.com or give us a call at (888) 972-2235.