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Reese A. Heckman, 34, of Decatur, and Travis R. Ziemer, 28, of Macon, face charges in a series of break-ins targeting gaming parlors, bars, and other businesses across Central Illinois, according to court documents reported by the Herald & Review.
The methods allegedly used by the duo mirror those employed by organized crews in a wave of burglaries targeting gaming establishments across the state, particularly in the Chicago suburbs.
Police allege Heckman and Ziemer typically gained entry through the roof, cut the power, and used sledgehammers and crowbars to smash or remove ATMs.
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The bill would increase the maximum sanction for contravening Section 87(1) to a P100,000 fine, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
It would also require the Gambling Authority to give a licensee an opportunity to be heard before suspending, revoking or refusing to renew a licence.
Responsible gambling and treatment services were recurring themes in the parliamentary discussion.
How to play Hellcatraz
Lamb described this task as “practically limiting the authority’s ability to most effectively monitor compliance” across the scheme.
She suggested that the State Revenue chief commissioner’s office would be better equipped to manage what she characterised as a tax rebate programme.
NSW government figures classify poker machines as the most harmful gambling format in the state, yet clubs continue to operate approximately 65,000 poker machines, benefiting substantially from tax rebates through the scheme.