Committee on License and Consumer Protection meeting, May 5, 2026
- When: Tue, May 5, 2026, 12:30 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on License and Consumer Protection
- Video: https://vimeo.com/1183092749
- Transcript: full text (9,314 words, automatic captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on License and Consumer Protection approved its April 2026 Rule 45 report and considered Alderperson Anthony Beale substitute ordinance amending Chapter 4-156 to prohibit sweepstakes machines, with escalating fines of $1,000 and $2,000 per machine, license suspension, and confiscation and license revocation on a third violation. The BACP Commissioner said the department opposed the ordinance as it stood and requested more time, while public commenters from the National Association of Promotional Retailers and a gaming attorney asked that legal machines be licensed rather than banned. Members questioned how legal and illegal machines are distinguished, the lack of enforcement, amusement tax stickers issued for machines, and impacts on small businesses. A motion to table failed with 11 no votes and two yes votes, and the ordinance then passed by voice vote with Alderpersons Sposato, Clay and Moore recorded as no. The committee also passed four liquor and package goods license ordinances for portions of East Erie and East Ontario, North State and East Huron, South Ashland Avenue and West Chicago Avenue.
Topics: sweepstakes machines, video gaming terminals, BACP enforcement, liquor license restrictions, package goods licenses, small business impact, Rule 45 report
Agenda items discussed
- 16:33 Motion to recognize members participating virtually for quorum: passed
- 17:28 Public comment
- 35:49 Approval of the April 2026 Rule 45 report: passed
- 36:14 Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 4-156 regarding prohibition and penalties for sweepstakes machines (substitute): passed
- 1:18:54 Motion to table the sweepstakes machine ordinance: failed
- 1:21:25 Amendment of section 4-60-022 to disallow additional alcoholic liquor licenses on portions of East Erie Street and East Ontario Street: passed
- 1:21:46 Amendment of section 4-60-023 to disallow additional package goods licenses on portions of North State Street and East Huron Street: passed
- 1:22:44 Amendment of section 4-60-022 to allow additional alcoholic liquor licenses on portions of South Ashland Avenue: passed
- 1:24:26 Amendment of section 4-60-023 to allow additional package goods licenses on portions of West Chicago Avenue (O2026-0024480): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Debra L. Silverstein (chair): Told Alderperson David H. Moore the committee would decide whether to delay the ordinance. (51:04); Told the commissioner that the committee has been discussing the issue for quite some time. (1:02:02)
- Anthony Beale (alderperson): Explained the substitute: a $1,000 per machine fine and 30-day notice, then $2,000 per machine and up to six months' license suspension, then confiscation and license revocation. (38:43); Said the state does not recognize sweepstakes machines and would act against the city if it licensed them, and questioned why over 5,000 machines carry city stickers. (1:13:13); Said operators have targeted the South and West Sides without paying fees or taxes and the city has received no benefit. (1:15:10)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Commended a public commenter for her proposed hygiene center for people experiencing homelessness and offered to talk further. (41:53); Said members want to remove bad actors but should not harm legitimate small businesses, and asked the Law Department how legal and illegal machines differ. (42:39); Asked whether machines have received city licenses and noted that issuing city stickers suggests legality. (47:03)
- Anthony V. Napolitano (alderperson): Asked how businesses can follow the law when the city offers no license for these machines and who monitors them. (51:27); Said it would be better to pass the ordinance and adjust later than to leave the machines unmonitored. (53:38); Said he has sought video gaming terminals for 12 years to compete with nearby suburbs and that sweepstakes machines have gone unmonitored. (55:52)
- Monique L. Scott (alderperson): Asked how complaints are handled now and was told inspectors observe but issue no tickets. (57:17); Asked how much revenue the city would lose if sweepstakes machines were removed. (57:55); Raised concerns about effects on Black-owned small businesses and urged the administration to help bring operators into legal status. (58:30)
- Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Asked the commissioner to provide through the chair a list of stakeholders and partners involved in gaming policy. (1:02:28); Said the city drags out policy decisions and inspectors cite restaurants for minor issues but cannot find illegal sweepstakes machines. (1:03:33); Said the ordinance is an important first step to set the city's position. (1:04:34)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Said he supports both video gaming terminals and sweepstakes machines and that vendors asked to be licensed a decade ago. (1:05:46); Said sweepstakes machines provide modest income to businesses and suggested licensing them until video gaming terminals are in place; said he could not support the ordinance. (1:06:47)
- Stephanie D. Coleman (alderperson): Clarified the timeline for the first $1,000 fine after council passage. (1:08:20); Cited amusement device sticker counts rising from about 2,000 in 2021 to 5,282 in 2025 and 4,775 in the first quarter of 2026, and said further delay is not warranted. (1:09:01); Asked that operators who followed state law be considered for amnesty while bad actors are addressed. (1:09:50)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said the two ordinances re-impose prohibitions on additional liquor licenses on streets where they had been lifted for new businesses. (1:22:12)
- Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Said allowing an additional liquor license on South Ashland would bring a new business to a vacant storefront with community support. (1:23:16)
- Chris Taliaferro (alderperson): Said the package goods license would allow a Black woman-owned full-service grocery store on the West Side. (1:24:51)
Exchanges between members
- 50:18 Alderperson David H. Moore said he shares Alderperson Anthony Beale goal of removing bad actors but wanted more information first.
- 51:04 The chair told Alderperson David H. Moore the committee would decide whether to delay.
- 53:41 Alderperson Anthony V. Napolitano said it would be better to move forward with his colleague's ordinance.
- 57:03 The chair thanked Alderperson Anthony V. Napolitano and said his remarks were well said.
- 57:17 Alderperson Monique L. Scott built on her colleague's point that no one is managing the machines.
- 1:12:16 Alderperson Stephanie D. Coleman thanked Alderperson Anthony Beale.
- 1:12:45 Alderperson David H. Moore asked Alderperson Anthony Beale whether he would hold the ordinance.