Category: Illinois

Hard Rock Casino Rockford is banking on innovation as it pushes ahead with construction, aiming for an August 2024 completion date. The casino, spanning 180,000 square feet, is swiftly taking shape as construction crews work to meet deadlines. Geno Iafrate, president of Hard Rock Casino Rockford, expressed optimism about the project’s timeline, noting minimal weather-related…

Sports bar and bowling alley Bowlero has become the first business in Deer Park, Illinois, to receive a license to operate video gambling machines.  The village board, on Thursday, selected Bowlero as it is the sole entity in the town meeting the eligibility criterion of having 30,000 square feet of space and serving alcohol.  “The…

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) convened its last regular meeting for the year, marking the culmination of a 2023 that witnessed milestones in the state’s gaming landscape. The year was characterized by  the  opening of four newly authorized casinos and two sportsbooks, licensing of more than 200 new video gaming establishments, issuing numerous other licenses…

Full House Resorts, the operator of the temporary casino in Waukegan, has been granted a casino owner’s license and a master sports wagering license by the Illinois Gaming Board. The temporary casino, known as The Temporary by American Place, opened to the public in February and has been operating under a temporary operating permit until…

Hard Rock Casino Rockford officials appeared in front of the Illinois Gaming Board Thursday morning and unveiled new images of their planned permanent casino resort, to occupy more than 187,000-square-foot and set to be located at 7801 E. State St. near the Interstate 90 exit. The company also requested an extension for its temporary location,…

The Illinois Senate has passed a bill addressing sports betting addiction. Senate Bill 1508 requires sports gaming companies to display a message to people at least once every hour noting how much money they have wagered since logging in. The alert would also include a hyperlink to websites and phone numbers for assistance with gambling…

Full House Resorts announced it is opening its temporary Waukegan casino The Temporary by American Place today, February 17. The opening activities are expected to begin with a private VIP reception at 5 pm. At approximately 8 pm, Chicagoland’s newest gaming destination will be open to the public. Located approximately 30 minutes north of O’Hare…

Arlington Heights trustees took a step forward last week in the process of allowing the Chicago Bears to proceed with their plans for a redevelopment of Arlington International Racecourse by approving a zoning change that would allow the operation of a sports betting facility in the area.  This facility is part of the Bears’ $5…

Caesars’ Grand Victoria Casino Elgin, in Illinois, has opened its new Caesars Sportsbook and World Series of Poker Room. The amenities saw a grand opening celebration that featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday. The event included a special guest appearance by World Series of Poker Main Event Champion and Poker Hall of Fame inductee Chris…

The Arlington Heights Plan Commission agreed Wednesday to recommend that the Village Board approve amending the zoning for the Arlington International Racecourse site to allow for a sports betting facility there, exclusively under the condition of a professional sports stadium at the location.  The move comes after the NFL’s Chicago Bears team signed in 2021…

Despite the fact that sports betting handle has declined in most states due to the usual slowdown in summer, Illinois seems untouched as it has reported the third highest total in the country, behind New York and New Jersey. The state reported over $764 million during May, a 9% decrease from April’s $839 million figure. During the month of…

Foundation is being poured for the American Place temporary casino in Waukegan, Illinois, ahead of a slated opening this fall, according to Chicago Tribune. A construction crew is currently working on the 70,000-square-foot transitory venue, to be located near the Fountain Square shopping center. Plans are to finish the construction by June 6, once the Sprung…

After February’s sports betting numbers, which saw a handle of $679.4 million, Illinois has reached the $10 billion lifetime mark in total sports betting handle since the industry launched in March of 2020, becoming the fourth state to achieve that figure after New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania. The trend is poised to keep upwards as…

Casino developer and operator Full House Resorts and construction services business Turner Construction Company conducted a vendor outreach event aimed at minority- and women-owned businesses last Tuesday for the development of both the temporary and permanent American Place casino in Waukegan, Illinois. The event was held at American Place’s newly opened Waukegan office, less than…

After the removal of in-person registration requirements earlier this month, the Illinois Gaming Board released Thursday its monthly financial report showing the monthly handle in January for sports betting climbed to nearly $870 million for the very first time. On the same day, the regulators also decided to ban the state’s sportsbooks from laying odds…

After the removal of in-person registration requirements earlier this month, the Illinois Gaming Board released its monthly financial report showing the monthly handle in January for sports betting climbed to nearly $870 million for the very first time. With an extended NFL regular season and expanded playoffs played over five weekends, the sports calendar was…