Appleton pub denied license for devices that police say are illegal gambling machines

Posted by author March 3, 2025 Gambling

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Similar devices reportedly are in operation at other businesses in the city.

Under Wisconsin law, payouts from gaming devices are illegal.
Appleton police say the machines are in violation of not only state law, but also the city’s ordinance.
Earlier this month Appleton denied a liquor license for Delaire’s coffee and board game bar over concerns the business might install illegal gambling machines.

APPLETON — A new business that tried to license five amusement machines had its application denied by Appleton police, who determined four of the devices were illegal gambling machines.

The same or similar devices, though, are in operation at other businesses in Appleton, Jason Lachance of De Pere told the city’s Safety and Licensing Committee.

“I think everybody here has been to a bar, a restaurant, whatever, that has them in there in the city of Appleton,” Lachance said. “I know I have.”

Appleton requires applicants for a mechanical amusement device license to identify the brand/name and type of device.

Pizzeria Pub & Bar, 1200 N. Sharon St., listed five devices. Only a dartboard passed the police review.

“It’s been a relatively recent change where the application has been altered to include requesting enough information to frankly figure out what in the world individual machines are,” Assistant City Attorney Zak Buruin said.

Buruin acknowledged that illegal gambling devices are operating in the city, but he said that was an enforcement issue, not the licensing issue before the committee.

On a 5-0 vote, the committee upheld the denial of the license. It will be considered Wednesday by the Common Council.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Administration, video gaming devices are not legal anywhere in the state, except in authorized tribal gaming facilities. “Bars and taverns may offer five or fewer devices for amusement only, meaning they must be free to play or not provide anything of value as a prize,” the DOA says.

What devices did the business propose?

Pizzeria Pub & Bar sought approval for five devices:

“Dart Board”
“Golden Fortune”
“Fusion 2”
“Fire Link”
“Fusion 2”

“Based on my knowledge and research into gambling machines, all of these listed machines (except the dart board) are illegal in Wisconsin” under state statutes 945.03, 945.035 and 945.04, police Lt. Ben Goodin said in a memorandum to the committee.

Goodin said the devices also are illegal in Appleton under ordinance 9-52(3).

In upholding the denial, the committee indicated that Pizzeria Pub & Bar could reapply for a license for the dartboard, but that would require new $25 application fee. The initial fee of $125 — $25 each for five devices — pays for the city staff review and is not refundable.

Council rejects liquor license due to concerns over gambling machines

Earlier this month, the Common Council voted 13-2 to deny a liquor license for Delaire’s coffee and board game bar, 823 W. College Ave., due to concerns the business might install illegal gambling machines.

Before the vote, business owner David Boulanger of West Bend told the council that he agreed in writing that Delaire’s wouldn’t have any illegal gambling machines.

“If the council wants to include that as a condition on my license, I have no problem with that,” Boulanger said. “Yet despite this, I’m still being denied, while I personally identified 15 other businesses within a half mile of this City Hall that currently have gambling machines and are operating without issue.”

Council member Chris Croatt said Boulanger’s statement was consistent with what Boulanger told the Safety and Licensing Committee “since they changed their business plan.”

Boulanger’s statement didn’t sway council member Katie Van Zeeland.

“The applicant did provide a model business that advertises gambling on their Facebook page, and that, for me, is the biggest reason why I’ll vote against this,” she said.

Council member Denise Fenton also was unconvinced.

“I have no confidence that the applicant is telling us the truth about his intentions,” Fenton said at committee.

Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.