Red tape delays VLTs - Euroslot - the independent voice of the amusement and gambling industry

Red tape delays VLTs

Published: 22 October, 2010

Don’t look for video lottery terminals (VLTs) to appear in Illinois taverns until next summer, say several news sources. Licensing procedures recently began for operators and locations, and Illinois will again seek bids for providing a central system.

That deal was originally awarded to Scientific Games, but the state cancelled it after noticing that the price had been calculated incorrectly. State officials will monitor the second bidding process. Once again, this is bureaucracy at its best.

And the recent announcement by longtime Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley of his retirement, after decades in office, raises questions about the future of VLTs in Illinois’s largest city. Chicago officials will debate or approve the machines after the February 2011 election, so operators should demand answers about gaming in Chicago from all candidates before they vote.

For VLT-approved Illinois jurisdictions, local firm Incredible Technologies (IT) has already announced that two veteran amusement salesmen will manage sales. Both amusement sales manager James Esposito and David Stone, head of IT’s international amusement sales for the past three years, will retain their existing responsibilities in addition to overseeing sales of video gaming products.

IT is a licensed supplier under the Riverboat Gambling Act, and has applied for a manufacturer’s and distributor’s licence under the Video Gaming Act.

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