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Illinois Gaming Board Self-Exclusion Program Enrollment Site Opens in Iowa

CHICAGO -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Illinois Gaming Board announced today that a 24th site to enroll persons in the Board's Statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program has opened in Davenport, Iowa.

The Eastern Iowa Center for Problem Gambling Inc. has started to accept applications from Iowa and Illinois residents who want to ban themselves from all Illinois casinos.

"We're looking forward to helping compulsive gamblers in the Davenport, Rock Island area take the necessary steps toward putting their lives back together," states Janet R. Meisenbach, Director of the Eastern Iowa Center for Problem Gambling.

"Enrolling in a selfexclusion program is part of that process," she adds.

The Eastern Iowa Center for Problem Gambling Inc. is located at 216 W. Third Street, Davenport, Iowa. The Center can be reached at (563) 322-2535.

In a partnership spanning across state borders, the Illinois Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling purchased a $300 digital camera for use by the Eastern Iowa Center for Problem Gambling to enroll persons in the Illinois Gaming Board Statewide Voluntary Self- Exclusion Program.

The Illinois Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling volunteered to purchase a digital camera for the Davenport treatment center. "Compulsive gambling is a disease that knows no boundaries," says Cyndi Moriarity, president of the Illinois Council for Problem and Compulsive Gambling. "We are glad to help."

Procurement regulations prevent the Illinois Gaming Board from purchasing a digital camera for a private mental health service provider located outside of the state of Illinois. The Eastern Iowa Center for Problem Gambling receives funding from the Iowa Department of Public Health to provide treatment for problem gamblers who are Iowa residents. The Center also acts as an enrollment site for interested parties to self-ban themselves from all Iowa casinos.

In July 2002, the Illinois Gaming Board launched the Statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program, which allows persons who have determined they have a gambling problem to selfexclude themselves from all Illinois casinos. By placing themselves on the Self-Exclusion List, problem gamblers hope to remove any temptation to return to a casino and gamble.

There are over 2,000 people enrolled in the Board's Statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program for Problem Gamblers. An Illinois Gaming Board agent at the Casino Rock Island enrolled the 2,000th person at the casino on December 14, 2004.

The Gaming Board maintains a database that contains pertinent information about every person who enrolls in the Self-Exclusion program. The information is shared with the State's nine operating riverboat casinos. Persons who enroll in the Self-Exclusion program do not receive marketing material from Illinois casinos. Those who self-exclude also cannot cash checks, obtain credit or use their credit cards to obtain cash advances from an Illinois casino.

Persons who enroll in the program are required to sign documents acknowledging that they are problem gamblers and that they are subject to arrest if they choose to return to an Illinois casino. Persons enrolling in the program have agreed to a lifetime ban from Illinois casinos.

After five years, however, a person may petition to be removed from the IGB Self- Exclusion list. The Board's Administrator will consider removing a person from the IGB Self- Exclusion list only if that person provides a signed affidavit from a licensed mental health professional attesting that the person is no longer a problem gambler and may gamble responsibly.

At the time of their enrollment, persons who self-exclude designate one of three organizations to which they want any chips, tokens or gambling proceeds donated if they return to an Illinois casino. The organizations, which offer counseling and help for problem gamblers, include the Outreach Foundation of Illinois, the Illinois Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling and the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery.

A total of $83,831 has been collected from self-excluded persons who returned to Illinois casinos and were discovered gambling. A total of 36 persons have been charged with trespassing after returning to the casinos. There have been 207 incidents to date where persons who selfexcluded in the Illinois Gaming Board program were discovered in an Illinois casino. The Gaming Board urges those who self-exclude to seek counseling or attend Gambler's Anonymous meetings to further strengthen their commitment not to gamble.

Enrollment in the program is strictly voluntary. Persons wishing to enroll in the program must travel to a designated enrollment site to complete the paperwork necessary to ban themselves from the State's casinos. Those seeking Self-Exclusion must have a valid driver's license, State issued identification card or some other valid identification in order to complete the required forms. A photograph is taken of those who enroll. Designated enrollment sites include the Illinois Gaming Board Office in Springfield and Chicago and all Illinois Gaming Board Offices at the State's casinos.

Other enrollment sites include:

• The Outreach Foundation in Downers Grove, (630) 434-2444

• The Share Program in Hoffman Estates, (847) 882-4181

• Chestnut Health Systems, Granite City, (618) 877-4420

• The Fellowship House, Anna, (618) 833-4456

• Human Resources Development Institute, Chicago, (312) 441-9009

• Klestinski and Associates, Gurnee, (847) 662-5588

• Renz Addiction Counseling Center, Elgin, (847) 742-3545

• NICASA, Round Lake (847) 546-6450

• Way Back Inn, Maywood, (708) 345-8422

• Hope for Tomorrow, Aurora, (630) 966-9000

• Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, Proctor Hospital, Peoria (800) 522-3784

• Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal, (309) 888-0993

The Eastern Iowa Center for Problem and Compulsive Gambling, Inc. and the other enrollment sites receive no funding from the Illinois Gaming Board and do not collect fees to act as an enrollment site for the Illinois Gaming Board Statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program.

Enrollment in the program is open to residents of all states. So far, 1,379 persons from Illinois have enrolled and an additional 492 have signed up from Missouri. Other states represented include Iowa with 50 and Indiana with 34 applicants. Persons have also enrolled from Arkansas, Arizona, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

The majority of persons enrolling in the program have completed their applications at Illinois Gaming Board offices located aboard the State's nine operating riverboat casinos or at the Board's Springfield or Chicago offices. The busiest Illinois Gaming Board enrollment site is the Casino Queen in East St. Louis with 424 enrollments followed by the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin with 259.

The most active non-IGB enrollment site has been the Outreach Foundation in Downers Grove with 324 applications. Members of the Outreach Foundation have been invited to Gambler's Anonymous meetings throughout the state to enroll persons before or after a GA meeting. Other non-IGB sites that have been very active include the Share Program in Hoffman Estates with 90 enrollees and Chestnut Health Systems in Granite City with 59.

Illinois residents seeking more information about the program may contact the program's representative toll-free at 1-877-YOU-QUIT. Non-Illinois residents must call (312) 814-8832 for additional information. Information on the program is also available at the Gaming Board's website at www.igb.state.il.us. The Illinois Gaming Board is interested in utilizing other licensed mental health treatment centers in Illinois and Illinois border states to act as enrollment sites for the Illinois Gaming Board program. Organizations interested in donating their time and expertise should contact the Self-Exclusion Program Director at (312) 814-8832.

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