SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced a measure to ban unregulated wagering at arcades like Dave & Buster’s. 

“We have been extremely careful with how we regulate gambling in Illinois, whether that is on sports, table games or video poker,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “Arcades marketed as family fun shouldn’t be in the business of exposing minors to gambling.”

Last year, the family amusement company Dave & Buster’s announced it would begin allowing adult rewards customers to bet against each other in arcades. Cunningham’s legislation would prohibit family amusement establishments like Dave & Buster’s from promoting or facilitating wagering on games.

“I’d like to see the state deal with this issue before it becomes a problem,” said Cunningham. “Arcade places are not built to oversee unregulated gambling activities.”

House Bill 2724 passed the Senate Executive Committee.