ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Plans for a temporary casino in Rockford hit a roadblock.

The Illinois Gaming Board has denied Giovanni’s request for a casino suppliers license. The decision came after the restaurant requested to withdraw its application at the last minute.

“Staff in our investigations division, our licensing division, our financial audit division, our legal staff and many others have been working on this application and this matter for many months, dedicated a considerable amount of time and effort into this application into this matter and it has been the board’s consistent practice to not grant request to withdraw on the eve of full consideration by the board” said Illinois Gaming Board administrator Marcus Fruchter.

Rockford’s mayor released a statement saying the change in ownership will not slow down the casino process.

The gaming board’s administrator explained why the application was turned down “based on conduct and associations that would jeopardize the integrity of gaming and discredit or attempt to discredit the state and Illinois gaming.”

815 Entertainment, the investment group trying to bring a casino to Rockford, is now in the process to buy Giovanni’s.