§ 25 — Admission charge; bond; fine

(a) There shall be paid to the Board at such time or times as it shall prescribe, the sum of fifteen cents (15¢) for each person entering the grounds or enclosure of each organization licensee and inter-track wagering licensee upon a ticket of admission except as provided in subsection (g) of Section 27 of this Act. If tickets are issued for more than one day then the sum of fifteen cents (15¢) shall be paid for each person using such ticket on each day that the same shall be used. Provided, however, that no charge shall be made on tickets of admission issued to and in the name of directors, officers, agents or employees of the organization licensee, or inter-track wagering licensee, or to owners, trainers, jockeys, drivers and their employees or to any person or persons entering the grounds or enclosure for the transaction of business in connection with such race meeting. The organization licensee or inter-track wagering licensee may, if it desires, collect such amount from each ticket holder in addition to the amount or amounts charged for such ticket of admission. Beginning on the date when any organization licensee begins conducting gaming pursuant to an organization gaming license issued under the Illinois Gambling Act, the admission charge imposed by this subsection (a) shall be 40 cents for each person entering the grounds or enclosure of each organization licensee and inter-track wagering licensee upon a ticket of admission, and if such tickets are issued for more than one day, 40 cents shall be paid for each person using such ticket on each day that the same shall be used. (b) Accurate records and books shall at all times be kept and maintained by the organization licensees and inter-track wagering licensees showing the admission tickets issued and used on each racing day and the attendance thereat of each horse racing meeting. The Board or its duly authorized representative or representatives shall at all reasonable times have access to the admission records of any organization licensee and inter-track wagering licensee for the purpose of examining and checking the same and ascertaining whether or not the proper amount has been or is being paid the State of Illinois as herein provided. The Board shall also require, before issuing any license, that the licensee shall execute and deliver to it a bond, payable to the State of Illinois, in such sum as it shall determine, not, however, in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), with a surety or sureties to be approved by it, conditioned for the payment of all sums due and payable or collected by it under this Section upon admission fees received for any particular racing meetings. The Board may also from time to time require sworn statements of the number or numbers of such admissions and may prescribe blanks upon which such reports shall be made. Any organization licensee or inter-track wagering licensee failing or refusing to pay the amount found to be due as herein provided, shall be deemed guilty of a business offense and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) in addition to the amount due from such organization licensee or inter-track wagering licensee as herein provided. All fines paid into court by an organization licensee or inter-track wagering licensee found guilty of violating this Section shall be transmitted and paid over by the clerk of the court to the Board. Beginning on the date when any organization licensee begins conducting gaming pursuant to an organization gaming license issued under the Illinois Gambling Act, any fine imposed pursuant to this subsection (b) shall not exceed $10,000.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 101-31, eff. 6-28-19.)