CHARITABLE GAMES-LICENSES

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4551

Introduced 1/30/2026, by Rep. Michael Crawford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

230 ILCS 30/4

from Ch. 120, par. 1124
230 ILCS 30/5

from Ch. 120, par. 1125
230 ILCS 30/5.1

from Ch. 120, par. 1125.1
230 ILCS 30/6

from Ch. 120, par. 1126

Amends the Charitable Games Act. Provides that an organization's
records shall include a sworn statement that its bona fide members,
volunteers, or employees have not participated in the management or
operation of more than 48 (rather than 12) charitable games events
conducted by any licensee in the calendar year. Prohibits the Department
of Revenue from issuing a license permitting a person, firm, or
corporation to sponsor a charitable games night if the premises for the
conduct of the charitable games has been previously used for 48 (rather
than 12) charitable games nights during the previous 12 months. Allows a
provider to provide the same premises for conducting 48 charitable games
nights during a 12-month period. Allows a licensee to obtain a providers'
license to allow the licensee to rent or otherwise provide its premises to
another licensee for the conducting of an additional 8 (rather than 4)
charitable game events. Increases the number of charitable game events
that may be held at any one premises to 48 (instead of 12) per calendar
year. Allows a provider or supplier to promote or solicit a charitable
games event on behalf of a charitable games licensee or qualified
organization. Provides that an employee of a supplier may assist the
charity in a charitable games event. Makes other and conforming changes.
LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b

A BILL FOR

HB4551
LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1

AN ACT concerning gaming.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Charitable Games Act is amended by changing
5
Sections 4, 5, 5.1, and 6 as follows:

6

(230 ILCS 30/4)

(from Ch. 120, par. 1124)
7

Sec. 4.
Licensing Restrictions.
Licensing for the
8
conducting of charitable games is subject to the following
9
restrictions:
10

(1) The license application, when submitted to the
11

Department of Revenue, must contain a sworn statement
12

attesting to the not-for-profit character of the
13

prospective licensee organization, signed by a person
14

listed on the application as an owner, officer, or other
15

person in charge of the necessary day-to-day operations.
16

The application shall contain the name of the person in
17

charge of and primarily responsible for the conduct of the
18

charitable games. The person so designated shall be
19

present on the premises continuously during charitable
20

games.
21

(2) The license application shall be prepared by the
22

prospective licensee organization or its duly authorized
23

representative in accordance with the rules of the

HB4551
- 2 -
LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1

Department of Revenue.
2

(2.1) The organization shall maintain among its books
3

and records a list of the names, addresses, social
4

security numbers, and dates of birth of all persons who
5

will participate in the management or operation of the
6

games, along with a sworn statement made under penalties
7

of perjury, signed by a person listed on the application
8

as an owner, officer, or other person in charge of the
9

necessary day-to-day operations, that the persons listed
10

as participating in the management or operation of the
11

games are bona fide members, volunteers as defined in
12

Section 2, or employees of the applicant
or suppliers
13

licensee
, that these persons have not participated in the
14

management or operation of more than
48

12
charitable
15

games events conducted by any licensee in the calendar
16

year, and that these persons will receive no remuneration
17

or compensation, directly or indirectly from any source,
18

for participating in the management or operation of the
19

games. Any amendments to this listing must contain an
20

identical sworn statement.
21

(2.2) (Blank).
22

(3) Each license shall state the date, hours and at
23

what locations the licensee is permitted to conduct
24

charitable games.
25

(4) Each licensee shall file a copy of the license
26

with each police department or, if in unincorporated

HB4551
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LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1

areas, each sheriff's office whose jurisdiction includes
2

the premises on which the charitable games are authorized
3

under the license.
4

(5) The licensee shall prominently display the license
5

in the area where the licensee is to conduct charitable
6

games. The licensee shall likewise display, in the form
7

and manner prescribed by the Department, the provisions of
8

Section 9 of this Act.
9

(6) (Blank).
10

(7) (Blank).
11

(8) A license is not assignable or transferable.
12

(9)
The

Unless the premises for conducting charitable
13

games are provided by a municipality, the
Department shall
14

not issue a license permitting a person, firm or
15

corporation to sponsor a charitable games night if the
16

premises for the conduct of the charitable games has been
17

previously used for
48

12
charitable games nights during
18

the previous 12 months.
19

(10) Auxiliary organizations of a licensee shall not
20

be eligible for a license to conduct charitable games,
21

except for auxiliary organizations of veterans
22

organizations as authorized in Section 2.
23

(11) Charitable games must be conducted in accordance
24

with local building and fire code requirements.
25

(12) The licensee shall consent to allowing the
26

Department's employees to be present on the premises

HB4551
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LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1

wherein the charitable games are conducted and to inspect
2

or test equipment, devices and supplies used in the
3

conduct of the game.
4

Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit a
5
licensee that conducts charitable games on its own premises
6
from also obtaining a providers' license in accordance with
7
Section 5.1. The maximum number of charitable games events
8
that may be held in any one premises is limited to no more than
9
12 charitable games events per calendar year.
10
(Source: P.A. 98-377, eff. 1-1-14; 98-1071, eff. 8-26-14.)

11

(230 ILCS 30/5)

(from Ch. 120, par. 1125)
12

Sec. 5.
Providers' License.
The Department shall issue a
13
providers' license permitting a person, firm or corporation to
14
provide premises for the conduct of charitable games. No
15
person, firm or corporation may rent or otherwise provide
16
premises without having first obtained a license. Applications
17
for providers' licenses shall be made in writing in accordance
18
with Department rules. The Department shall license providers
19
of charitable games at a nonrefundable annual fee of $50, or
20
nonrefundable triennial license fee of $150. Each providers'
21
license is valid for one year from the date of issuance, or 3
22
years from date of issuance for a triennial license, unless
23
extended, suspended, or revoked by Department action before
24
that date. Any extension of a providers' license shall not
25
exceed one year. A provider may receive reasonable

HB4551
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LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1
compensation for the provision of the premises. Reasonable
2
expenses shall include only those expenses defined as
3
reasonable by rules adopted by the Department. A provider
,
4
other than a municipality, may not provide the same premises
5
for conducting more than 12 charitable games nights per year.
6
A provider shall not have any interest in any suppliers'
7
business, either direct or indirect. A municipality
may
8
provide the same premises for conducting 48 charitable games
9
nights during a 12-month period. No
employee,
officer
,
or
10
owner of a provider may participate in the management or
11
operation of a charitable games event, even if the
employee,

12
officer
,
or owner is also a member, volunteer, or employee of
13
the charitable games licensee. A provider may
not
promote or
14
solicit a charitable games event on behalf of a charitable
15
games licensee or qualified organization. Any qualified
16
organization licensed to conduct a charitable game need not
17
obtain a providers' license if such games are to be conducted
18
on the organization's premises.
19
(Source: P.A. 98-377, eff. 1-1-14.)

20

(230 ILCS 30/5.1)

(from Ch. 120, par. 1125.1)
21

Sec. 5.1.
If a licensee conducts charitable games on its
22
own premises, the licensee may also obtain a providers'
23
license in accordance with Section 5 to allow the licensee to
24
rent or otherwise provide its premises to another licensee for
25
the conducting of an additional
8

4
charitable games events.

HB4551
- 6 -
LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1
The maximum number of charitable games events that may be held
2
at any one premises is limited to
48

12
charitable games events
3
per calendar year.
4
(Source: P.A. 98-1071, eff. 8-26-14.)

5

(230 ILCS 30/6)

(from Ch. 120, par. 1126)
6

Sec. 6.
Supplier's license.
The Department shall issue a
7
supplier's license permitting a person, firm, or corporation
8
to sell, lease, lend or distribute to any organization
9
licensed to conduct charitable games, supplies, devices, and
10
other equipment designed for use in the playing of charitable
11
games. No person, firm, or corporation shall sell, lease,
12
lend, or distribute charitable games supplies or equipment
13
without having first obtained a license. Applications for
14
suppliers' licenses shall be made in writing in accordance
15
with Department rules. The Department shall license suppliers
16
of charitable games subject to a nonrefundable annual fee of
17
$500, or a nonrefundable triennial fee of $1,500. Each
18
supplier's license is valid for one year from the date of
19
issuance, or 3 years from date of issuance for a triennial
20
license, unless extended, suspended, or revoked by Department
21
action before that date. Any extension of a supplier's license
22
shall not exceed one year. No licensed supplier under this Act
23
shall lease, lend, or distribute charitable gaming equipment,
24
supplies, or other devices to persons not otherwise licensed
25
to conduct charitable games under this Act. The Department may

HB4551
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LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1
require by rule for the provision of surety bonds by
2
suppliers. A supplier shall keep among its books and records
3
and make available for inspection by the Department a list of
4
all products and equipment offered for sale or lease to any
5
organization licensed to conduct charitable games, and all
6
such products and equipment shall be sold or leased at the
7
prices shown on the books and records. A supplier shall keep
8
all such products and equipment segregated and separate from
9
any other products, materials or equipment that it might own,
10
sell, or lease. A supplier must include in its application for
11
a license the exact location of the storage of the products,
12
materials, or equipment. A supplier, as a condition of
13
licensure, must consent to permitting the Department's
14
employees to enter supplier's premises to inspect and test all
15
equipment and devices. A supplier shall keep books and records
16
for the furnishing of products and equipment to charitable
17
games separate and distinct from any other business the
18
supplier might operate. All products and equipment supplied
19
must be in accord with the Department's rules and regulations.
20
A supplier shall not alter or modify any equipment or
21
supplies, or possess any equipment or supplies so altered or
22
modified, so as to allow the possessor or operator of the
23
equipment to obtain a greater chance of winning a game other
24
than as under normal rules of play of such games. The supplier
25
shall not require an organization to pay a percentage of the
26
proceeds from the charitable games for the use of the products

HB4551
- 8 -
LRB104 18479 LNS 31921 b
1
or equipment. The supplier shall file a quarterly return with
2
the Department listing all sales or leases for such quarter
3
and the gross proceeds from such sales or leases. A supplier
4
shall permanently affix his name to all charitable games
5
equipment, supplies and pull tabs. A supplier shall not have
6
any interest in any providers' business, either direct or
7
indirect. If the supplier leases his equipment for use at an
8
unlicensed charitable games or to an unlicensed sponsoring
9
group, all equipment so leased is forfeited to the State.
10

Organizations licensed to conduct charitable games may own
11
their own equipment. Such organizations must apply to the
12
Department for an ownership permit. Any such application must
13
be accompanied by a one-time, nonrefundable fee of $50. Such
14
organizations shall file an annual report listing their
15
inventory of charitable games equipment. Such organizations
16
may lend such equipment without compensation to other licensed
17
organizations without applying for a suppliers license.
18

No
employee,
owner
,
or officer of a supplier may
19
participate in the management or operation of a charitable
20
games event, even if the
employee,
owner
,
or officer is also a
21
member, volunteer, or employee of the charitable games
22
licensee. A supplier may
not
promote or solicit a charitable
23
games event on behalf of a charitable games licensee or
24
qualified organization.
An employee of a supplier may assist
25
the charity in a charitable games event.

26
(Source: P.A. 94-986, eff. 6-30-06; 95-228, eff. 8-16-07.)

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