720 ILCS 5/29-1 – Bribery in Contests (Offering a Bribe)
This law makes it illegal to offer money or rewards to influence players, referees, or students in sports competitions.
This Illinois law says it is a crime to bribe someone to change how they play, referee, or choose a school because of sports. It protects fairness in sports and keeps people from using money to gain an unfair advantage.
(a) A person commits a crime if they try to influence anyone who is playing in, judging, or connected with a professional or amateur athletic event by giving, offering, or promising money or something valuable to make that person not do their best. This is a Class 4 felony.
(b) A person commits a crime if they try to influence someone’s choice to attend, not attend, or stay at a certain high school or college just to make them play or not play sports for that school by offering money or something valuable. This is a Class A misdemeanor. This rule does not apply if:
- The person is offered a real scholarship, grant, job, or another type of true financial help.
- The person’s family gives them financial help.
- The school offers a small or common gift that any student might receive.
(c) A person breaks the law if they give money or anything valuable to a college athlete to represent that athlete in future job talks with professional sports teams. This is a Class A misdemeanor.
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