Published on: January 12, 2026, 09:38 AM.
Updated on: January 12, 2026, 09:38 AM.
- Illinois casino revenue soared to $1.9 billion in 2025
- Record-breaking year for Illinois gaming establishments in 2025
- Concerns regarding VGTs in Chicago overshadow Bally’s $1.7 billion investment
In 2025, gamblers in Illinois experienced unprecedented losses across the state’s 17 brick-and-mortar casinos.
According to the Illinois Gaming Board, the total gross gaming revenue (GGR) for 2025—representing the amount kept by casinos after paying out winnings—was $1,943,722,561.89. The majority of the revenue, around $1.49 billion, came from slot machines, while table games contributed approximately $457.8 million.
The more than $1.9 billion in revenue signifies a 15% growth compared to 2024’s revenue of about $1.7 billion. This figure also marks a 29% rise from the $1.5 billion in 2023 and nearly a 44% increase from the $1.35 billion recorded in 2019 pre-pandemic.
Rivers Casino Des Plaines maintained its lead as the premier casino in Illinois, jointly owned by Churchill Downs and Rush Street Gaming, achieving a GGR of $503 million, securing a 26% share of the state market.
Following closely was Wind Creek Chicago Southland, which opened its doors in November 2024, generating $198 million in GGR.
State and Chicago Gaming Developments
2025 marked a significant milestone for Wind Creek Chicago Southland, a $529 million facility authorized through Illinois’ 2019 gaming expansion bill, part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s “Rebuild Illinois” project. This legislation allowed for five casinos in the Chicago suburbs and an integrated resort in downtown Chicago.
Last year also saw the comprehensive operations of Hard Rock Casino Rockford, which reported a 2025 GGR of $146.2 million, securing third place in rankings.
Caesars’ Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin followed closely in fourth with $142.2 million, and Bally’s temporary casino at Medinah Temple, also established under the 2019 gaming expansion, rounded out the top five with a GGR of $124.7 million.
Bally’s continues to advance its plans for a $1.7 billion permanent casino in Chicago’s River West neighborhood, with aspirations to open the resort by year-end.
Despite progress, Bally’s remains opposed to initiatives that would allow slot-like video gaming terminals (VGTs) in the city. Chicago aldermen are advocating for the introduction of VGTs to boost revenues, although Mayor Brandon Johnson criticized the City Council’s $16.6 billion budget as “morally bankrupt” for its reliance on VGT gaming among other sources.
As of November, the latest reported month, VGT revenue across the state surpassed $2.91 billion in 2025. In Aurora, a major municipality in the Chicago area with around 200,000 residents, the VGT revenue for 2025 exceeded $14.6 million.
Concerns Regarding Sports Betting
Although Illinois casino revenue continues its upward trend, there are prevalent concerns regarding the state’s sports betting market. As Casino.org’s Todd Shriber conveyed in November, the newly implemented per-bet surcharge has resulted in a decline in overall sports betting activity.
Illinois now enforces a 25-cent charge per bet for the first 20 million bets placed by a sportsbook. After surpassing 20 million bets in a year, the surcharge increases to 50 cents.
The Sports Betting Alliance, a coalition advocating for the growth of sports gambling and more favorable regulations, reports that this per-bet fee led to five million fewer bets placed in September 2025 compared to the same month in 2024.