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Illinois casinos posted positive monthly revenue for the first time since the spring.
The state’s 15 casinos combined for a win of $140 million in August, up 3.1% from July’s total of $135.8 million. Revenue totals do not include online casinos because iGaming is illegal in the Prairie State.
Key takeaways
- Revenue for Illinois’ casinos rose past $140 million in August, up 3.1% month-on-month.
- It was the first time since the spring that monthly revenue grew.
- Casino operators are missing out on revenue from online casinos.
Illinois online casinos could generate more than $200M a month
Illinois is a leading earner for land-based revenue and sports betting handle (total amount bet). But, is nowhere to be found in the world of online casinos.
The state’s legislators made two attempts to legalize IL online gaming this year, but both fell short. One of the bills proposed a 15% tax rate on iGaming revenue, a move that could’ve brought the state hundreds of millions in additional annual tax revenue, based on PlayUSA’s projections.
Lawmakers sometimes hesitate to breach the subject because land-based casinos tend to look down on the idea out of fear of losing revenue. This is known as cannibalization in the gaming industry.
Lost revenue to online casinos could impact, among other things, land-based casino employment. Additionally, online casinos tend to stir up the anti-gambling community, too.
As a result, only seven states have legal online casinos. They’re reaping the benefits; too.
In July, online casinos generated more than $600 million in revenue. If Illinois online casinos become legal, we could see it become one of the biggest markets in the country:
| State | July online casino revenue | Population (according to 2023 Census Bureau data) | Per-capita revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $215.4 million | 13 million | $16.65 |
| New Jersey | $195.4 million | 9.3 million | $20.65 |
| Michigan | $191.4 million | 10 million | $19.86 |
| Connecticut | $41.7 million | 3.6 million | $12.86 |
| West Virginia | $20 million | 1.8 million | $9.94 |
| Delaware | $6 million | 1 million | $3.90 |
| Rhode Island | $2.6 million | 1.1 million | $2.09 |
| Average | $96.1 million | 5.7 million | $16.86 |
| Illinois | $210.8 million | 12.5 million | $16.86 |
Rivers, Grand Victoria Casino drive August gaming revenue growth
According to the latest figures from the Illinois Gaming Board, all but five casinos posted positive monthly revenue changes in August.
Compared to IL casino revenue for July 2024, Rivers Casino and Grand Victoria casinos led the way in dollars, combining for a $2.6 million increase. Here’s a snapshot of the top five casinos by dollar growth last month:
- Rivers Casino: +$2 million
- Grand Victoria Casino: +$617,102
- The Temporary by American Place: +$370,186
- Walkers Bluff Casino: +$366,557.46
- DraftKings at Casino Queen: +$347,805
Percentage-wise, Walkers Bluff Casino topped all properties with a 13.6% increase.
| Property | August 2024 | July 2024 | Month-on-month change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers Casino | $43,507,623.49 | $41,506,606.41 | 4.82% |
| Grand Victoria Casino | $11,932,643.10 | $11,315,541.00 | 5.45% |
| Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel | $11,017,248.85 | $10,919,267.73 | 0.90% |
| Bally's Chicago | $10,721,168.17 | $10,386,848.50 | 3.22% |
| The Temporary by American Place | $9,234,027.03 | $8,863,840.72 | 4.18% |
| Hollywood Casino Aurora | $8,937,156.34 | $8,767,142.04 | 1.94% |
| Hollywood Casino Joliet | $7,624,178.25 | $7,340,226.45 | 3.87% |
| DraftKings at Casino Queen | $7,221,197.45 | $6,873,392.06 | 5.06% |
| Hard Rock Casino Rockford | $5,684,021.79 | $5,964,965.21 | -4.71% |
| Bally's Quad Cities Casino & Hotel | $5,650,093.07 | $5,342,315.65 | 5.76% |
| Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino | $5,020,730.55 | $5,053,937.70 | -0.66% |
| Harrah's Metropolis Casino | $4,686,538.69 | $4,741,774.66 | -1.16% |
| Walkers Bluff Casino Resort | $3,056,024.01 | $2,689,466.55 | 13.63% |
| Golden Nugget Danville | $2,877,286.51 | $3,043,357.71 | -5.46% |
| Argosy Casino Alton | $2,865,705.48 | $3,012,156.74 | -4.86% |
| Total | $140,035,642.78 | $135,820,839.13 | 3.10% |
Year on year, revenue shot up 12.5% from $124.4 million to $140 million.
August’s total win was the third-highest this year, trailing only May ($143.8 million) and March ($152.3 million).
