PEORIA, Ill. — A first reading of an ordinance to permit poker runs and raffles within Peoria city limits passed unanimously Tuesday night through city council.
The Illinois Raffles and Poker Runs Act mandates municipalities pass ordinances that allow games of chance before such games may take place within a municipality.
Once the ordinance is passed, only certified non-profit organizations may be granted licenses to hold these games. Bona fide organizations are ones of religious, charitable, labor, business, fraternal, education, or veterans’ nature.
“The county has had an ordinance like this on the books for a little bit. The city, however, has not had one like this on the books, and we’ve been approached multiple times by various organizations seeking out licenses such as this,” said City Attorney Chrissie Peterson.
“We could continue to let the county issue licenses for what would be things within the municipality, but we certainly have the right to implement [the ordinance], and then anybody for those situations where [a poker run] ends or the prize is drawn here would be required to get a city license rather than a county license.”
An organization wishing to hold a raffle or poker run must have been in existence for at least five years. A provision exists that would allow the city clerk to waive the rule in the case an established national organization starts a Peoria chapter.
Council Member John Kelly took exception with the proposed rule that states license fees would be based upon the estimated gross annual money raised from an organization’s game of chance.
“These are not-for-profits. These are people trying to help some worthy cause, I guess, and these dollar numbers are not high, but they’re kind of a pain in the neck, and you’ve gotta make sure you have the right amount of money and you have the right fee, and in my opinion, it’s a nuisance,” he said, suggesting no fees be charged.
“I hope we’re trying to help these folks out, and the amount of money that’s going to be raised is negligible, but we’re causing them all kinds of problems, and usually, they’re not pros. They’re just trying to raise money for some worthy cause.”
Under the proposal, organizations that bring in under $100 in a raffle would be charged nothing. Organizations that raise $10,000 would be charged $72, and $12 extra for every additional $5,000 raised.
Poker runs would cost a flat $25 per event.
Peterson said a revision with a simplified fee model could be plausible.
