‘A matter of our survival:’ Naperville restaurant owners ask city to reconsider gambling ban

Some restaurant and bar owners have asked Naperville officials to lift a ban on video gambling within the city limits.
Daily Herald file photo, 2019

With a video gambling parlor set to open on Ogden Avenue near Naperville, restaurant and bar owners asked city council members on Tuesday to reconsider a gambling ban within the city limits.

Though Illinois made video gambling legal in 2009, Naperville’s city ordinances ban it.

DuPage County had a similar ban until county board members lifted it in 2019 — making it possible for Betsy’s Slots to gain approval for a location in an unincorporated area just outside Naperville’s city limits. The gambling parlor is expected to open later this year.

“We’d really like to be on the same playing field,” said Seana Somolik, co-owner of Danny’s Pub & Grill off Route 59 in Naperville. “We’re just mom-and-pop shops trying to survive.”

Naperville City Council members did not agree to bring the issue up at a future meeting. Though restaurant owners said they were disappointed, they aren’t giving up.

“I can’t drop this,” Somolik said. “This is a matter of our survival.”

Hit by COVID, restaurant owners said their struggle continues as they deal with higher food costs. By some estimates, video gambling would bring in $10,000 to $15,000 a month in revenue for restaurants and provide a much-needed lifeline. In some instances, that’s enough to cover rent and payroll for a month.

“We are struggling, and gaming would definitely help us out tremendously,” said Jonathon Santos, owner of Katrina’s Latin Bites & Bar and Paris Bistro.

Though Naperville does not allow video gambling within city limits, several neighboring communities do. Restaurant owners Tuesday noted they have lost customers who opt to patronize restaurants in nearby communities with video gambling machines.

“We don’t need yet another reason for customers to go elsewhere,” said Teri Feldott, manager of The Lantern in downtown Naperville.

She suggested the city could consider restrictions to avoid the “tacky” factor — such as large or bright signs — that sometimes comes with video gambling. She also urged council members to consider dropping the gambling ban sooner rather than later.

“When we need a break is now,” she said. “Now is when things are really, really tough for all of us.”

While there was no support from city council members to put the issue on a future agenda, some said they needed more information before considering a more formal discussion.

“I have a hard time being a hard no on this,” city council member Josh McBroom said. “I think there’s probably an argument for it.”

However, he told the handful of restaurants represented on Tuesday that they would have to show more support for their request. He suggested they talk to other restaurant owners and businesses.

After Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Scott Wehrli said restaurant owners can always return to a future council meeting. But he said, at this point, he did not see a “compelling reason” to allow video gambling.