Your Slot Machine Business Is Almost Ready to Open its Doors
It’s taken time and work to prepare your new Illinois video gaming establishment for business. You’ve found a suitable location in accordance with local ordinances and State law. You have your local and State on-premises liquor licenses and your Illinois gaming license from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB). You’ve partnered up with a Terminal Operator (TO).
In short, you’re nearly ready for business. But not quite. Before your Illinois game establishment can start welcoming customers and producing revenue, a special agent from the IGB is going to conduct a site inspection.
If you’ve been careful to comply with all applicable regulations throughout, there’s probably no need to be nervous. But just to keep things moving smoothly, make sure you have all these documents ready to hand for the special agent to examine.
Documentation for Your Slot Machine Business: Personal Identification
- Driver’s licenses. The special agent will make photocopies of the driver’s licenses of all the owners and the video gaming manager as well.
- The special agent will take photographs of all the owners and also the video gaming manager. Thus they will all need to be present for the site inspection. (The special agent will fingerprint them, too.)
Documentation for Your Slot Machine Business: The Building
- Lease agreement. If you don’t own the building, the special agent will require a copy of the lease agreement. (When considering the physical structure, the special agent also needs to know exactly where you propose to install the slot games. The area needs to be finished before he or she looks it over.)
Documentation for Your Slot Machine Business: Licenses
- State and Local Liquor Licenses. You need both, and both must be up to date. Note that the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILLC) has made it possible to renew online. Note too that a valid local liquor license requires a certificate of insurance.
Documentation for Your Slot Machine Business: Other Essential Documents
- Liquor inspection report. This was generated during the course of your liquor license renewal, so it should already be in your files. The special agent will give it a thorough going over.
- Illinois business tax authorization. You have to register with the Illinois Dept. of Revenue to run a slot machine business or any other sort of business in our state. This involves obtaining an IDOR Account ID (AKA your Illinois Business Tax Number or IBT,)
- Federal Employer Identification Number (FEN). The special agent needs to see that you’re ready to deal with Federal taxes.
- The gaming agreement between you and your Terminal Operator (TO). This will include a summary of the memorandum of understanding, information on the division of revenues, consumer protection stipulations, Federal gaming stipulations, and possibly other information as well.
- Department of Justice registration letter. Your Illinois gaming devices must be registered with the Department of Justice.
If you’re ready to produce all these documents when requested, you should be in good shape for your IGB inspection.
