Perpetrators of illegal gambling operations are soon going to face the wrath of the law, according to a new directive that has been issued by the Illinois Gaming Board. The board has decided that it was going to revise a stand that had been taken in 2019 by which gaming licenses were being awarded to a company with connections to a criminal group based in Chicago. The board now aims to distance itself from entities that are engaged in activities with the potential of tarnishing the name of the gambling industry.
The reputation of the industry has for sure taken a long time to sanitize and allowing a few people to conduct business in an indiscipline manner would bring harm. Recent reports now indicate that IGB has narrowed down this move to a license it had issued to Jeffrey Bertucci for video gaming machines. With the machines hosted under a diner establishment, the board has discovered that Bertucci is at the center of a legal case involving a key member of the Chicago mob.
What we cover
History of the operator
Information collected by media outlets reveal that it is indeed true that Bertrucci received the license which was aimed at allowing him to set up and operate video gaming terminals within the premises of his Steak N Egger diner in Cicero in 2019. The license holder was obviously aiming at making a kill because the two businesses would definitely do well together.
In what has caught the attention of the IGB, it has been reported that the owner of this business took the stand against a mob member. The said incident took place in 2010 at a federal court. 9 years before the gambling license was issued might have appeared to be a long time and that was perhaps why the IGB overlooked this aspect when assessing suitability for issue. Times have changed since and the board is reviewing the process of issuing licenses over past years.
2010: The year of illegal operations
As had earlier been reported in industry publications, the relationship between Bertucci and James Marcello, the mob member, started when the former received a consignment of video gaming machines from the latter. Bertucci also collected additional video gaming machines from another leader in the mob known as Casey Szaflarski aka ”video poker king”. The owner of the Cicero diner admitted to all this even confessing that the profits made from gambling within his premises were shared with Szaflarski – this practice is deemed illegal in Chicago.
Actions to penalize
A spokesperson from IGB has disclosed that Bertrucci was not generous with the truth because he did not reveal the details of the court case of 2010. He was supposed to disclose his level of involvement and all activities of benefit to him and his accomplices. In the complaint that has been filed by the IGB, the regulator claims that the operator misrepresented the duration and extent to which he was involved in illegal operations with his gambling machines.
According to rule number 310(a) (8) under the bylaws of the IGB, it is within to law to initiate a disciplinary process against any employee who misrepresents themselves or their business. Judging from what has been uncovered regarding Bertucci and his business, this establishment is a candidate for disciplinary action that might take the form of a gambling license revocation.
Claims by IGB members
In relation to the complaint that has been launched, IGB has stated that none of their members who currently hold an administrator position had been serving with the controller at the time of the license approval. According to media reports, there is evident to the effect that they were all aware of Bertrucci’s arrest following his involvement in illegal gambling activities. It is believed that the operators faked honesty with the aim of getting the license required to operate an online casino in Illinois.
In addition to that, the officials of the IGB recalled that they came to learn of the testimony that Bertrucci had made in 2010 many years later in May 2023 and that is what triggered the desire to conduct a thorough investigation. The source went on to report that the details of the 2010 case had been captured by news outlets and the indication was that the IGB administrators had a case to answer regarding why they had granted a license to the individual under scrutiny. Even though it has been established that none of them was in their current office at the time, the burden of proof still falls squarely on them as the regulators in the industry.
Was Bertrucci eligible?
Since Bertrucci was granted state approval to set up gambling in the form of gambling devices in his Steak N Egger diner, the business has managed to generate revenue amounting to over $4.8 million from bets. Within the same duration, the operator is reported to have remitted more than $100,000 as tax revenues. In addition to that, there is evidence to indicate that an estimated $18,000 had been pumped into the Cicero community through various projects.
With such a weighty case leveled up against him, what remains is for Bertrucci to give the IGB time to weigh the mistakes he has committed in the past. There is no doubt that he has also made some positive contributions in the industry to determine his level of goodwill. There is no statement from IGB to advise on how the settlement will be made and the source has no idea when it is going to happen.
Conclusion
The gambling market is governed by regulations that are aimed at controlling operations in the market and maintaining sanity among stakeholders. To get the necessary licensing, governing organizations use a checklist to conduct proper vetting. Would applicants fake compliance to get certified? That is the allegation that Bertrucci now faces. Only an in-depth investigation can uncover his true intentions in the industry.
