§ 9.16.080. Gambling.

A.

A person commits the offense of gambling when he:

1.

Plays a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value, unless excepted in subsection B. of this section; or

2.

Makes a wager upon the result of any game, contest or any political nomination, appointment or election; or

3.

Operates, keeps, owns, uses, purchases, exhibits, rents, sells, bargains for the sale or lease of, manufactures or distributes any gambling device; or

4.

Contracts to have or give himself or another the option to buy or sell, or contracts to buy or sell, at a future time, any grain or other commodity whatsoever, or any stock or security of any company, where it is at the time of making such contract intended by both parties thereto that the contract to buy or sell, or the option, whenever exercised, or the contract resulting therefrom, shall be settled, not by the receipt or delivery of such property, but by the payment only of differences in prices thereof; however, the issuance, purchase, sale, exercise, endorsement or guarantee, by or through a person registered with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 8 of the Illinois Securities Law of 1953, or by or through a person exempt from such registration under said Section 8, of a put, call or other option to buy or sell securities which have been registered with the Secretary of State or which are exempt from such registration under Section 3 of the Illinois Securities Law of 1953 is not gambling within the meaning of this subdivision; or

5.

Knowingly owns or possesses any book, instrument or apparatus by means of which bets or wagers have been, or are recorded or registered, or knowingly possesses any money which he has received in the course of a bet or wager; or

6.

Sets up or promotes any policy game or sells, offers to sell or knowingly possesses or transfers any policy ticket, slip, record, document or other similar device; or

7.

Knowingly advertises any lottery or policy game or drafts, prints or published any lottery ticket or share, or any policy ticket, slip, record, document or similar device, or any advertisement of any lottery or policy game; or

8.

Knowingly transmits information as to wagers, betting odds, or changes in betting odds by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore or similar means; or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of such information; except that nothing in this subdivision prohibits transmission or receipt of such information for use in news reporting of sporting events or contests.

B.

Participants in any of the following activities shall not be convicted of gambling:

1.

Agreements to compensate for loss caused by the happening of chance including, without limitation, contracts of indemnity or guaranty and life or health or accident insurance; and

2.

Offers of prizes, award or compensation to the actual contestants in any bona fide contest for the determination of skill, speed, strength or endurance or to the owners of animals or vehicles entered in such contest; and

3.

Pari-mutuel betting as authorized by the law of this state; and

4.

Manufacture of gambling devices, including the acquisition of essential parts therefor and the assembly thereof, for the transportation in interstate or foreign commerce to any place outside this state when such transportation is not prohibited by any applicable federal law; and

5.

The game commonly known as "bingo," when conducted in accordance with the Bingo License and Tax Act (20 ILCS 25/1 et seq.);

6.

Lotteries when conducted by the State of Illinois in accordance with the Illinois Lottery Law (230 ILCS 1605/1 et seq.).

(Prior Code, § 10:28-1; Code 1996, § 9.16.080; Ord. No. 4560, § 1, 11-26-2012)

State law reference

Similar provisions, 720 ILCS 5/28-1.