Struggling Illinois Casinos Could Be Allowed to Relocate Should Bill Become Law
Illinois ranks as one of the wealthiest gaming states, as gamblers in the Land of Lincoln lost over $2.9 billion last year on casino slots, table games, video gaming terminals, and bookmakers.
Although Illinois’ casino industry is thriving — currently featuring 17 physical gaming venues — not every establishment is experiencing the same advantages.
“It’s been clear for years that there’s a handful of casinos that do better than others,” Illinois Rep. Joe Sosnowski (D-Winnebago) told WIFR.
On Thursday, Sosnowski presented House Bill 4070. The bill aims to mandate the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) to perform a survey assessing the operational strengths and weaknesses of every casino license and identify potential sites where underperforming licensees could move. The law would permit as many as three casinos to relocate to a different region.
"The [Illinois] gaming industry supports almost 30,000 jobs and nearly $2 billion in tax revenue that funds vital state and local services,” Sosnowski added in a release. “We must have the adaptability in state law to allow a struggling casino to relocate to another market within the state where they have a better prospect for success rather than continue to languish with no remedy. My proposal would ensure the ability of every Illinois casino to thrive.”
In addition to the 17 riverboat and physical casinos, Illinois has 9,000 video gaming establishments featuring slot-style VGTs and 14 retail betting shops. Online sports betting is permitted through 10 active sportsbook platforms.
Which Illinois Casinos are Operating?
Among the 16 Illinois casinos active in 2024 (Wind Creek Chicago Southland opened on Nov. 11, 2024), the three locations with the lowest gaming revenue (GGR) were Golden Nugget Danville, Argosy Alton, and Walker's Bluff in Carterville. The casinos generated revenue from slot and table games of $37.1 million, $34 million, and $32 million, respectively.
Rivers Des Plaines was undoubtedly the leading casino in Illinois regarding GGR, totaling $516.1 million. Grand Victoria in Elgin followed with a distant $138.8 million. Completing the top five were the temporary Bally’s Chicago casino downtown with $124.9 million, Harrah’s Joliet at $124.6 million, and American Place at $108.1 million.
Sosnowski's legislation would require state gaming regulators to evaluate “every active casino license in the State based on the adjusted gross receipts submitted to the Board for the latest completed 12-month period.”
Given that Walker’s Bluff just opened in August 2023 and features a casino within a resort that has a winery, operator Boyd Gaming is not expected to pursue a new site for its Illinois casino license. This could potentially make Harrah’s Metropolis, which has a 2024 GGR of $58 million, relevant. Golden Nugget may also be disinclined to move, having just opened its Danville location in May 2023.
After the IGB completes its survey and releases the results, the regulatory board will issue a request for proposals from counties and municipalities that wish to host a casino.
Community Safeguards
Because permitting a casino and the jobs and tax revenue it creates to leave for a better environment is likely to face local resistance, Sosnowski has added a clause that would mandate the IGB to compensate affected municipalities generously. HB4070 would require a town that loses a casino to receive a "doubled share of tax" relative to what it obtained in the year prior to the relocation of the gaming establishment.
"The municipality or county that loses a casino would receive a share of receipts equal to two times what they are currently paid, in recognition of how integral gaming revenue is to a local government’s ability to provide critical services to residents,” Sosnowski’s office explained.
HB4070 has been assigned to the House Rules Committee for preliminary review.
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