(A) A person commits gambling when he:
(1) Plays a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value, unless excepted in § 136.02 (B); or
(2) Makes a wager upon the result of any game, contest, or any political nomination, appointment, or election; or
(3) Operates, keeps, owns, uses, purchases, exhibits, rents, sells, bargains for the sale or lease of, manufactures, or distributes any gambling device; or
(4) Contracts to have or give himself or another the option to buy or sell, or contracts to buy or sell, at a future time, any grain or other commodity whatsoever, or any stock or security of any company, where it is at the time of making the contract intended by both parties thereto that the contract to buy or sell, or the option, whenever exercised, or the contract resulting therefrom, shall be settled, not by the receipt or delivery of the property, but by the payment only of differences in prices thereof; however, the issuance, purchase, sale, exercise, endorsement, or guarantee, by or through a person registered with the secretary of state pursuant to ILCS Ch. 815 , Act 5, § 8, or by or through a person exempt from registration under ILCS Ch. 815, Act 5, § 8, of a put, call, or other option to buy or sell securities which have been registered with the secretary of state or which are exempt from such registration under ILCS Ch. 815, Act 8, § 3 is not gambling within the meaning of this paragraph; or
(5) Knowingly owns or possesses any book, instrument, or apparatus by means of which bets or wagers have been, or are, recorded or registered, or knowingly possesses any money which he has received in the courses of a bet or wager; or
(6) Sells pools upon the result of any game or contest of skill or chance, political nomination, appointment, or election; or
(7) Sets up or promotes any lottery or sells, offers to sell, or transfers any ticket or share for any lottery; or
(8) Sets up or promotes any policy game or sells, offers to sell, or knowingly possesses or transfers any policy ticket, slip, record, document, or other similar device; or
(9) Knowingly drafts, prints, or publishes any lottery ticket or share, or any policy ticket, slip, record, document, or similar device, except for such activity related to lotteries, bingo games, and raffles authorized by and conducted in accordance with the laws of this state, any other state, or foreign government; or
(10) Knowingly advertises any lottery or policy game, except for such activity related to lotteries, bingo games, and raffles authorized by and conducted in accordance with the laws of Illinois or any other state; or
(11) Knowingly transmits information as to wagers, betting odds, or changes in betting odds by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore, or similar means; or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of such information; except that nothing in this division prohibits transmission or receipt of such information for use in news reporting of sporting events or contests; or
(12) Knowingly establishes, maintains, or operates an Internet site that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet or to make a wager upon the result of any game, contest, political nomination, appointment, or election by means of the Internet. This division does not apply to activities referenced in division (B)(6)(a) and (b) of this section.
(B) Participants in any of the following activities shall not be convicted of gambling therefor:
(1) Agreements to compensate for loss caused by the happening of chance including without limitation contracts of indemnity or guaranty and life or health or accident insurance;
(2) Offers of prizes, award, or compensation to the actual contestants in any bona fide contest for the determination of skill, speed, strength, or endurance or to the owners of animals or vehicles entered in such contest;
(3) Pari-mutuel betting as authorized by the law of this state;
(4) Manufacture of gambling devices, including the acquisition of essential parts therefor and the assembly thereof, for transportation in interstate or foreign commerce to any place outside this state when such transportation is not prohibited by any applicable federal law;
(5) The game commonly known as "bingo," when conducted in accordance with the "Bingo License and Tax Act," approved July 22, 1971, as amended;
(6) (a) Lotteries when conducted by the State of Illinois in accordance with the Illinois Lottery Law, ILCS Ch. 20, Act 1605, § 1 et seq. This exemption includes any activity conducted by the Department of Revenue to sell lottery tickets pursuant to the provisions of the Illinois Lottery Law and its rules.
(b) The purchase of lottery tickets through the Internet for a lottery conducted by the State of Illinois under the program established in ILCS Ch. 20, Act 1605, § 7.12.
(7) Possession of an "antique slot machine" that is neither used nor intended to be used in the operation or promotion of any unlawful gambling activity or enterprise. For the purpose of this subdivision, an "antique slot machine" is one manufactured 25 years ago or earlier.
(8) Raffles when conducted in accordance with the Raffles Act (ILCS Ch. 230, Act 15, §§ 0.01 et seq.).
(9) Charitable games when conducted in accordance with the Charitable Games Act (ILCS Ch. 230, Act 30, §§ 1 et seq.).
(10) Pull tabs and jar games when conducted under the Illinois Pull Tabs and Jar Games Act (ILCS Ch. 230, Act 20, §§ 1 et seq.) .
(11) Gambling games conducted on riverboats when authorized by the Riverboat Gambling Act (ILCS Ch. 230, Act 10, §§ 1 et seq.).
(12) Video gaming terminal games at a licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed veterans establishment when conducted in accordance with the Video Gaming Act (ILCS Ch. 230, Act 40, §§ 1 et seq.).
(13) Games of skill or chance where money or other things of value can be won but no payment or purchase is required to participate.
(D) Circumstantial evidence. In prosecutions under § 136.02 (A) (1) through (11), circumstantial
evidence shall have the same validity and weight as in any criminal prosecution.
(ILCS Ch. 720, Act 5, § 28-1) Penalty, see § 130.99