Click here to JOIN the fight | Why Legalize EGD

REDUCE * RESTRICT * REGULATE *
STATE WIDE MEETINGS TO

The Indiana Licensed Beverage Association strongly feels that in order to pass legislation to legalize electronic gaming there MUST be a strong coalition.  The Coalition's strength is in creating a unified message to be sent to the general assembly that this will be a positive fiscal impact on EVERY community in Indiana.

By standing together, we will be able to show ALL elected officials that we expect their support and will support them in the upcoming elections. Goals for this meeting will be:

· Review progress of ILBA's initiatives

· Discuss issues and outline language for proposed bill

· Set agenda and time line for action

· Discuss voter registration drive

· Distribute contact list to effectively educate legislators

· Discuss funding for incentive

 

WITH A UNIFIED EFFORT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL!

Any questions please contact Indiana Licensed Beverage Association 800-843-5288

Click here to join the fight to legalize Electronic Gaming Devices

Why Legalize Electronic Gambling Devices?

Proposed: Reduce the number of illegal video gaming devices that are currently found in numerous gas stations, convenience stores, truck stops, Laundromats, delis, and even bait shops around the state. Legalization would limit the number of machines and the location.
Current: Unregulated there is no limit on the number of machines any location can have and current enforcement by the Excise Police has only driven these machines underground.

Proposed: Restrict access to these devices to adults over the age of 21 in on-premise licensed beverage establishments like bars, taverns, social and fraternal organizations.
Current: Unregulated devices are accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Proposed: Regulate payouts to a fair percentage established by the state.
Current: Unregulated machines can be set at a low unfair percentage payout.

Proposed: Tax this type of machine that has been flourishing in the state for over 20 years.
Current: Unregulated and illegal it is unlikely many pay any taxes on the revenues. Estimates show that the state may be losing 300 million dollars per year by not regulating these devices.

Proposed: Allow many small family-owned independent Hoosier businesses and non-profit clubs to legally profit from Indiana’s gaming industry to keep those dollars in the local community.
Current: Only a few (mostly out of state) mega corporations now control and prosper from legalized gaming. Their taxes go to Indiana but the corporate profits go out of state.

Proposed: Allow counties to share a portion of the revenue to encourage local enforcement and to help local jurisdictions with an additional revenue stream.
Current: Many local prosecutors do not prioritize video gaming cases for numerous reasons, but may have more reason to if Indiana would offer a legal form of this kind of gaming and include the county in the revenue sharing.

Proposed: Give some hard working people in the hospitality industry a break! Serving alcohol is one of the most highly regulated businesses. We are in one of the most taxed industries. Collectively we create possibly the most total revenue for the state through sale taxes and we are one of the states largest employers.
Current: Year after year we are faced with more restrictions and higher taxes that continue to erode our bottom line and put the small independent bars, clubs, and fraternal organizations out of business. In the last few years we have seen .08 BAC, increased use of roadblocks, smoking bans, and local food & beverage taxes.

Proposed: Since individual locations will only have a few machines, the tax rate must be lower than at Indiana’s large casinos with a 1000+ machines. This lower tax rate would make it feasible for a small location to only have a few machines while Indiana would prosper by the total volume of machines.
Current: Indiana sees little revenue from the numerous illegal gamming devices currently found around the state.


Facts:
Gaming is legal in Indiana; Lottery, bingo, pull-tabs, horse tracks, & Riverboats.
Internet gaming is illegal, but it continues to grow and is estimated at over a billion dollars per year.
Electronic Gaming Devices can be found unregulated and untaxed around the state.

Bottom line:
Gambling exists in Indiana in many forms; some endorsed by the State, and some not endorsed by the State. Indiana needs to stop making criminals out of otherwise law-abiding small business owners, and work to legitimize this common form of gaming.