§ 7-4. License requirements.

Any person seeking to conduct or operate a raffle or poker run as outlined in this chapter shall submit a raffle/poker run application using the form provided by the county clerk. Applications must be submitted to the county clerk at least five days prior to conducting a raffle or poker run, and prior to selling tickets or chances for a raffle. The fee for the license application is $0.00 for all license classes. Completion of an application does not guarantee approval or issuance of a raffle/poker run license.

An organization may appeal license decisions in writing within ten business days of decision by submitting notice of appeal to the county board office.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, business, corporation, organization or other entity to conduct or operate a poker run, conduct or operate a raffle or to sell, offer for sale, convey, issue or otherwise transfer for value, tickets or a chance on a raffle unless conducted pursuant to terms outlined on a raffle or poker run license duly issued by the county and in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the Raffles and Poker Runs Act (230 ILCS 15). A raffle or poker run license shall be valid for the period outlined on the license and shall not be valid for more than 12 months.

Raffle and poker run licenses shall be issued only to bona fide business, religious, charitable, labor, fraternal, educational or veterans organizations that operate without profit to their members and which have been in existence continuously for a period of five years or more immediately before applying for a license and which have had during that entire five-year period, a bona fide membership engaged in carrying out their objectives, or to an organization that the county clerk determines is organized for the sole purpose of providing financial assistance to an identified individual or group of individuals suffering extreme financial hardship as a result of an illness, disability, accident or disaster. The county clerk may waive the five-year requirement for bona fide business, religious, charitable, labor, fraternal, educational or veterans organizations that apply for a license to conduct a raffle or poker run if the organization has identified and maintains a valid non-profit certification from the Internal Revenue Service, or if the organization is a local organization that is affiliated with and chartered by a national or state organization that meets the five-year requirement. A current copy of the organization's constitution, by-laws or other documentation must be included with the raffle/poker run application at the time of submission. The following groups or individuals are ineligible for any license under this chapter:

(1)

Any person who has been convicted of a felony;

(2)

Any person who is or has been a professional gambler or gambling promoter;

(3)

Any person who is not of good moral character;

(4)

Any firm or organization in which a person defined in subsection (1), (2) or (3) (above) has a proprietary, equitable or credit interest, or in which such a person is active or employed;

(5)

Any organization in which a person defined in (1), (2) or (3) (above) is an officer, director, or employee, whether compensated or not; and

(6)

Any organization in which a person defined in (1), (2), or (3) (above) is to participate in the management or operation of a raffle or poker run as defined in this chapter.

Political committees must include documentation of raffle approval from the state board of elections when applying for a raffle license with the county clerk. Raffle licenses for political committees will be issued in accordance with the terms and provisions of this chapter.

All operation and conduct of raffles and poker runs shall be under the supervision of a single manager designated by the licensee. A fidelity bond must be obtained by an organization conducting a raffle or poker run and the bond must be submitted with each raffle/poker run application. A personal surety bond may be obtained from the raffle/poker run manager in lieu of a fidelity bond for organizations conducting a raffle/poker run in which the total retail value of all prizes and merchandise awarded is less than $5,000.00.

Organizations may request a bond waiver from the county clerk following a unanimous vote in support of the waiver by members of the organization conducting the raffle or poker run.

(Ord. No. 2016-06, 6-15-16)