Some Edwardsville companies push for video gaming machine enlargement on major poll

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (First Alert 4) – Voters in Edwardsville will determine March 17 whether or not to broaden video gaming machines within the metropolis to incorporate bars and eating places, a measure that some enterprise homeowners mentioned might present a important income stream.

Edwardsville stays one of many few communities within the Metro East the place video gaming is closely restricted. Currently, the machines are permitted solely in lodges and fraternal organizations.

Ryan High, co-owner of Global Brew Tap House, is among the many enterprise homeowners pushing for the change.

“You’re looking at 30% more in sales to have the same type of impact; it’s a substantial business change to try to be able to generate that revenue. Gaming will provide more revenue that can be readily spent on more labor, more events, more philanthropic needs and ways to support our community,” High mentioned.

Steve Seibert, proprietor of Big Daddy’s Edwardsville, mentioned the enlargement would deal with mounting operational prices.

“All our expenses are up. This applies to us as everyone back at home. Our food costs, utility costs, insurance costs are up. Our labor costs are up,” Seibert mentioned.

Seibert mentioned prospects have seen the absence of gaming machines at his institution. “We have people who walk in asking, ‘you don’t have gaming,’ they’re thrown off, because everywhere around us does,” he mentioned.

High mentioned he needs to “have a safe environment for those to game in, and especially help our local businesses survive.”

If accredited, the measure would come with restrictions that may hold companies from opening up simply to supply the machines or from opening in gasoline stations. The homeowners added that there could be no out of doors promoting.

“We think that these restrictions with the private gaming lounges, the revenue match requirement, and the two-year liquor license requirement will only put a safeguard on this whole process for the city,” Seibert mentioned.

He added, “That will reward existing small businesses, so people aren’t just moving into town to be in the gaming industry in town.”

High pointed to O’Fallon, Illinois, as a mannequin, the place gaming machines are positioned in a extra secluded space of bar and grill areas. He mentioned Global Brew’s Edwardsville location would place machines behind a partition in the back of the bar and restaurant.

“The regulations are very important. The last thing that we want as community members is to see gaming be approved with no guardrails and it become the Wild West,” High mentioned. “The restrictions that we propose help maintain the values and the ambiance and the operations of our small businesses.”

Seibert added, “We are kind of late to the party, but because we are late to the party, that has allowed us to see what has worked and what has not worked, this allows us to propose restrictions that we think will benefit our businesses and the community.”

High and Seibert mentioned that even when the poll measure passes, it could be at the very least a 12 months earlier than gaming machines would start showing in institutions like theirs.

“There is an absolute protocol of go to a city council committee, then the whole full city council. Then there’s a six- to nine-month process with the Illinois Gaming Board,” mentioned Seibert.

The same measure appeared on the Edwardsville poll in 2021 however was voted down by residents.

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