Section 3000.665  Integrity of Electronic Gaming Devices

 

Electronic Gaming Devices shall, at a minimum:

 

a)         With the exception of a Bill Validator that is part of the EGD, be cashless in operation, and as such, must accept only Electronic Credits or Tokens as Wagers;

 

b)         If equipped with a Bill Validator, accept the conversion of the value of cash, Tokens, Vouchers, coupons or Electronic Cards to Electronic Credits for use as Wagers;

 

c)         Be partially or entirely electronic in design and operation and not only mechanical in operation;

 

d)         Not subject a player to physical hazards;

 

e)         Contain a surge protector on the line that feeds power to the Electronic Gaming Device.  The battery backup or an equivalent for the electronic meters must be capable of maintaining accuracy of all information required for 180 days after power is discontinued from the Electronic Gaming Device.  The backup shall be kept within the locked logic board compartment;

 

f)         Have an on/off switch that controls the electrical current used in the operation of the Electronic Gaming Device and any associated equipment, including a Voucher Printer, which shall be located in an accessible place within its interior;

 

g)         Be designed so that it shall not be adversely affected by static discharge or other electromagnetic interference;

 

h)         If capable of accepting or providing Tokens, have at least one electronic Token acceptor.  Token acceptors must be designed to accept designated Tokens and reject others.  The Token receiver on an Electronic Gaming Device must be designed to prevent the use of cheating methods such as slugging, stringing, or spooning.  All Token acceptors are subject to approval by the Administrator.  Tokens accepted but which are inappropriate "token-ins" must be returned to the player by activation of the hopper or credited toward the next play of the Electronic Gaming Device.  The Electronic Gaming Device control program must be capable of handling rapidly fed Tokens so that occurrences of inappropriate "token-ins" are prevented;

 

i)          Have no more than one Voucher Printer;

 

j)          Not be readily accessible in its internal space of the Electronic Gaming Device when the front door is both closed and locked;

 

k)         Have logic boards and EPROMS or Non-Alterable Storage Media, in a locked area within the Electronic Gaming Device, sealed with evidence tape.  The evidence tape must be affixed by an authorized Board agent and must include the date, signature and I.D. number of the agent.  This tape may only be removed in the presence of an authorized Board agent.  If using Non-Alterable Storage Media, provide a security device or protocol approved by the Administrator to guarantee program inaccessibility except in the presence of a Gaming Board agent and by a method other than those approved by the Administrator;

 

l)          If capable of accepting or providing tokens, have a Token compartment contained in a locked area within or attached to the Electronic Gaming Device;

 

m)        Not contain any hardware switches that alter the pay-tables or payout percentages in its operation.  Hardware switches may be installed to control graphic routines, speed of play, and sound;

 

n)         Contain an unremovable identification plate containing the following information, appearing on the exterior of the Electronic Gaming Device and on the Voucher Printer located in the Electronic Gaming Device:

 

1)         Manufacturer;

 

2)         Serial Number; and

 

3)         Model Number;

 

o)         Contain the rules of play for each Electronic Gaming Device displayed on the face or screen.  No rules shall be incomplete, confusing, or misleading. Each Electronic Gaming Device must also display the credits wagered and the credits awarded for the occurrence of each possible winning combination based on the number of credits wagered.  All information required by this Section must be kept under glass or another transparent substance and at no time may stickers or other removable items be placed over this information;

 

p)         Have equipment that enables the Electronic Gaming Device to communicate with a Computer Monitoring System accessible to the Board, using an industry standard protocol data format approved by the Administrator;

 

q)         Be capable of continuing the current Game with all current Game features after a malfunction is cleared.  This rule does not apply if an Electronic Gaming Device is rendered totally inoperable.  The current Wager and all credits appearing on the screen prior to the malfunction shall be returned to the patron;

 

r)          Have attached a drop bucket housed in a locked compartment separate from any compartment of the Electronic Gaming Device;

 

s)         Be capable of detecting and displaying the following error conditions which an attendant may clear:

 

1)         Token-in jam;

 

2)         Token-out jam;

 

3)         Hopper empty or time-out;

 

4)         Program error;

 

5)         Hopper runaway or extra Token paid out;

 

6)         Reverse token-in;

 

7)         Reel error;

 

8)         Voucher Printer paper jam;

 

9)         Voucher Printer low ink, if applicable;

 

10)         Voucher Printer low on paper;

 

11)         Voucher Printer Paper out/depleted, or comparable message;

 

12)         Voucher Printer presentation error, or comparable message indicating that the Voucher Printer is unable to print completely and/or accurately;

 

13)         Voucher Printer print failure;

 

14)         Voucher Printer not connected/not communicating, or comparable message;

 

15)         Voucher System interruption, or comparable message; and

 

16)         Door open;

 

t)          Use a communication protocol that ensures that erroneous data or signals will not adversely affect the operation of the Electronic Gaming Device;

 

u)         Display an Illinois Gaming Board registration number permanently imprinted, affixed or impressed on the outside of the Electronic Gaming Devices;

 

v)         Have the capacity to display on the front of each Electronic Gaming Device its rules of play, character combinations requiring payouts, and the amount of the related payouts.  In addition, the holder of an owners license shall display on each Electronic Gaming Device either:

 

1)         A clear description of any merchandise or thing of value offered as a payout, including the cash equivalent value of the merchandise or thing of value offered, the dates the merchandise or thing of value will be offered if the holder of an Owner's License establishes a time limit upon initially offering the merchandise or thing of value and the availability or unavailability to the patron of the optional cash equivalent value; or

 

2)         The name or a brief description of the merchandise or thing of value offered; provided, however, a sign containing the information specified in subsection (v)(1) shall be displayed in a prominent location approved by the Board near the Electronic Gaming Device;

 

w)        Have a mechanical, electrical, or electronic device that automatically precludes a player from operating the Electronic Gaming Device after a jackpot requiring a manual payout and requires an attendant to reactivate the Electronic Gaming Device;

 

x)         Maintain or have an approved device that can maintain a separate bill history of at least the last 10 bills or Vouchers vended;

 

y)         In the event that an EGD has lost communication with the Voucher System, insure that, when a patron redeems electronic credits, the EGD must:

 

1)         revert to an active hopper device; or

 

2)         lockup and, after reset, result in a hand pay in accordance with procedures approved in the oner's licensee's internal controls; or

 

3)         issue no more than one voucher;

 

z)         Insure that jackpots that require completion of a W2-G shall cause the EGD to lockup, and after reset, result in a hand pay in accordance with procedures approved in the owners licensee's internal controls;

 

aa)         Insure that the EGD is not capable of printing a new Voucher or reprinting a duplicate Voucher on demand;

 

bb)         Insure that the identification and value of the last 35 Vouchers issued by each Voucher Printer and last 10 Vouchers redeemed at each EGD is recorded and available for display; and

 

cc)         Insure that the EGD not have any devices, components or other apparatus to accept wagers or issue payouts that are not specifically authorized.

 

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 8454, effective May 30, 2023)