RIVERBOAT GAMBLING EXPANSION

Amends the Riverboat Gambling Act. Provides that the Board shall issue 10 licenses (rather than may issue up to 10 licenses). Increases the owners license renewal fee from $5,000 per year to $50,000 per year. Provides that the additional license renewal fee moneys shall be paid to a compulsive gambling program administered by the Department of Human Services. Provides that riverboat gambling is authorized from a home dock located in a municipality that (1) borders on the Mississippi River or is within 5 miles of such a municipality and (2), on the effective date of this amendatory Act, has a riverboat conducting riverboat gambling operations under the Act, provided that one of those licensees shall operate from a dock in the city of East St. Louis. Provides that an owners licensee that receives an owners license authorizing it to begin conducting riverboat gambling operations on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act must attain a level of at least 20% minority person and female ownership, at least 16% and 4% respectively. Deletes the provision requiring an owners licensee to limit the number of gambling participants to 1,200. Decreases the wagering and admission tax rates beginning when gambling operations begin under a dormant license. Provides that the first $500,000 in fines and penalties collected under the Act each fiscal year, instead of being deposited into the Education Assistance Fund, shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund and paid to the Department of Human Services, subject to appropriation, to be used for the treatment of compulsive gambling. Amends Public Act 91-40 to replace that Act's inseverability clause with a severability clause. Effective immediately.