The Illinois Gaming Board and Background Checks

We’ve talked about it before, but applying for your Illinois gaming license is no easy task. One step that tends to concern people the most is the background check that the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) conducts on every potential licensee. While the specifics of each background investigation varies from applicant to applicant, we can go over what the IGB generally looks for when conducting these checks.

Want to learn more about getting your Illinois video gaming license? Check out our blog here.

According to the Video Gaming Act, each and every person seeking a license from the IGB must submit to a thorough background investigation. Until any and all applicants have sufficiently passed the background check, the IGB will not issue a license. The burden is upon each applicant to sufficiently demonstrate his or her suitability for licensure.

Who will the IGB investigate?

Depending on the ownership structure of your potential Illinois gaming location, the IGB may conduct background checks on a number of people within your organization, including but not necessarily limited to, for example, each member, director and officer of an LLC. If you have a simple organization structure where you are the sole owner, the IGB may only conduct a background investigation of you.

What is the Illinois Gaming Board seeking?

When conducting background checks, the IGB is looking for a variety of things. The investigations are structured to ensure that video gaming license applicants do not “have a background, including a criminal record, reputation, habits, social or business associations, or prior activities, that pose a threat to the public interests of the State or to the security and integrity of video gaming.”

Here are just a few things that MAY cause the IGB to refuse a license:

• The applicant has been found guilty of a felony.
• The applicant is unable to pass a standard drug test.
• The applicant fails to disclose or hides any information during the application process, including personal interviews.
• The applicant has a history of multiple misdemeanors.
• The applicant has circumspect outstanding debt obligations.
• The applicant has previously had an Illinois video gaming license revoked for any reason.
• The applicant has registered for the self-exclusion list at an Illinois casino.

In addition to the reasons above, the IGB also reserves the right to deny a license application for any other just cause.

Why are background checks important?

The IGB conducts thorough background investigations on all of their applicants in order to maintain a level of honesty and transparency in the Illinois video gaming market. Accel Entertainment is also dedicated to upholding the same values in the industry and is happy to discuss the ins and outs of the video gaming application process with any interested applicants. You can reach out to us at any time at hello@accelentertainment.com or by giving us a call at 866-525-8504.