They look and operate like typical video gambling machines. But they’re unregulated and untaxed, thanks to loopholes in Illinois’ gaming laws.
And now, so-called “sweepstakes” machines are at the center of the latest public corruption trial at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.
Businessman James T. Weiss is accused of paying $32,500 in bribes to then-state Rep. Luis Arroyo between November 2018 and October 2019 to promote and vote for legislation related to sweepstakes machines in the Illinois General Assembly.
When the legislation didn’t pass, the men turned to then-state Sen. Terry Link and allegedly offered him a bribe to support their bill. But Link happened to be cooperating with the FBI.
