Skokie officials re-up, advance video-gaming talks; public input up next

A majority of the Skokie Village Board expressed support last week for continuing to discuss whether to permit electronic slot machines within village borders, setting the stage for staff to seek community input on video gambling this fall. 

The trustees took a straw poll during a Monday Oct. 5 Committee of the Whole session on whether to keep exploring the pros and cons of allowing video gambling terminals. The trustees also reviewed a report on video gaming they directed village staff in June to assemble. 

Trustees Alison Pure Slovin, Jim Iverson, Keith Robinson and Kimani Levy said they were interested in learning more about bringing electronic slot machines to Skokie. Trustees Lissa Levy and Gail Schechter expressed opposition to allowing the gambling terminals in the village.

After village staff estimated that the machines could net Skokie more than $800,000 in annual revenue (if every viable establishment operated the maximum number of terminals), the trustees discussed how regulating gambling machines compares to regulating other vices, like alcohol.

Financial Impact

According to village documents, Illinois’ Video Gaming Act allows electronic slot machines, or “video gaming terminals,” to be stationed in four kinds of places: bars or restaurants that serve liquor, fraternal establishments, veteran’s establishments, and large truck stops. 

Skokie village staff determined there are 46 restaurants in Skokie that would qualify to host the terminals, but only 29 would be likely candidates because some operate as an accessory to a shopping establishment or are part of a brand that does not permit the machines elsewhere.

If each of those 29 establishments sought to host six video gaming terminals, the maximum allowed by the state, and paid Skokie an annual license fee of $500 per machine, including other associated income, Skokie would gain $823,890 in yearly revenue, staff projected. 

Eighteen establishments, though, reportedly is comparable to the average number that house video game terminals in the northwest Chicago suburbs, and if 18 establishments had six electronic slot machines then Skokie could gain $511,380 in annual revenue, according to the village report. 

Just five Skokie restaurants reportedly have expressed to the village interest in operating video gaming terminals, and if all five gained six terminals then the village would net $142,050 in yearly revenue, village staff estimated. 

Other communities that regulate video gaming identified that signage and machine placement are the most “staff-intensive enforcement issues” as village personnel would have to visit locations to verify complaints and follow up on tickets, but that volume of work “would depend on the total number of establishments,” the Skokie report says. 

Like other cash businesses, establishments that host video gaming terminals can be the subject of commercial burglaries, said Jesse Barnes, chief of the Skokie Police Department.

So video gaming establishments would be another business for Skokie police to keep an eye on overnight, but those places are often already receiving liquor license compliance checks and other communities with video gaming “do not see a huge spike in calls for service,” Barnes said.  

Mike Charley, the director of Skokie’s Department of Health and Human Services, said gambling isn’t new to Skokie and the village social workers can continue to refer resources to people who need help but he does not anticipate additional staff cost if the terminals are allowed.

According to the staff report, the Illinois Gambling Help line received 1,140 English-language calls and 56 Spanish-language calls from Cook County residents between January 2025 and June 2026, and just 12 callers identified as Skokie residents. Not all callers, however, identified where they reside.

‘More to come’

Answering questions from the trustees, Johanna Nyden, Skokie’s director of community development, said Skokie could regulate how many gaming terminals are allowed to operate in a given area and they already must be 100 feet away from schools and churches. 

Schechter said that permitting the machines and risking gambling addiction would run counter to the village’s official mission statement, which affirms Skokie is a “diverse, safe community committed to inclusivity.”

Pure Slovin said she appreciated Schechter’s argument but that Village laws already permit alcohol and cannabis sales

Lissa Levy also said she is not convinced the expected revenue from video gaming terminals outweighs “the potential damage to our community.”

Mayor Ann Tennes said the revenue from video gaming terminals would not be enough to fund a new fire station, but it could be useful in paying the debt service on bonds. 

After the four trustees indicated they wanted to continue discussing video game terminals in Skokie, Tennes said the next step is hearing from the community on the issue. 

As the board is already seeking public input on how to regulate accessory dwelling units, the mayor suggested that village staff return after Thanksgiving with a plan on how to poll community input outside of just public comments during Village Board meetings.

Pure Slovin suggested posing the question of video game terminals to residents in the form of a referendum on the ballot of an upcoming election. 

Tennes said utilizing a referendum would put some restrictions on the village as staff would not be allowed to communicate to the public in favor or against the measure.

“So let us think about that, and more to come,” Tennes said. 

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.