Illinois casino revenue went out in style in December, marking the first time in 2023 that Illinois casinos generated more than $140 million.
The state’s 15 casinos brought in $141.2 million in revenue from table games and slots. That figure edged out the November 2023 gaming revenue total in Illinois by around $11 million and surging past December 2022 revenue totals by nearly $27 million.
Nine Illinois casinos post double-digit monthly gains
December was a strong month across the board with only one casino posting negative growth. Among the 15 casinos in Illinois that posted gains month-on-month, nine had double-digit growth.
While Walkers Bluff Casino Resort posted the biggest percentage gain (25.99%), Rivers Casino, Harrah’s Joliet, Hollywood Casino Aurora, and The Temporary by American Place posted the biggest dollar gains in revenue, combining for more than $5.2 million in growth.
Casino | December 2023 Revenue | November 2023 Revenue | Month-on-Month Change | December 2022 Revenue | Year-on-Year Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argosy Casino Alton | $2,735,530.05 | $2,677,336.93 | 2.17% | $2,277,008.28 | 20.14% |
Bally's Quad Cities Casino & Hotel | $5,419,149.74 | $4,963,032.71 | 9.19% | $4,681,640.61 | 81.61% |
Bally's Chicago | $8,502,168.82 | $7,608,131.76 | 11.75% | N/A | N/A |
Golden Nugget Danville | $3,808,752.78 | $3,193,800.83 | 19.25% | N/A | N/A |
DraftKings at Casino Queen | $6,510,920.07 | $6,167,430.55 | 5.57% | $6,394,511.25 | 1.82% |
The Temporary by American Place | $8,152,430.42 | $7,146,261.36 | 14.08% | N/A | N/A |
Grand Victoria Casino | $12,835,732.87 | $12,849,808.75 | -0.11% | $12,782,046.31 | 0.42% |
Hard Rock Casino Rockford | $6,554,173.87 | $5,715,584.12 | 14.67% | $4,962,376.62 | 32.08% |
Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel | $11,252,738.09 | $10,039,921.42 | 12.08% | $10,505,477.28 | 7.11% |
Harrah's Metropolis Casino | $5,225,795.43 | $4,916,217.92 | 6.30% | $5,346,307.42 | -2.25% |
Hollywood Casino Aurora | $8,456,344.69 | $7,256,187.19 | 16.54% | $8,075,483.06 | 4.72% |
Hollywood Casino Joliet | $8,078,536.97 | $7,337,529.55 | 10.10% | $6,955,168.97 | 16.15% |
Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino | $5,606,747.55 | $4,845,901.39 | 15.70% | $5,198,607.99 | 7.85% |
Rivers Casino | $45,403,635.14 | $43,516,832.70 | 4.34% | $47,233,148.87 | -3.87% |
Walkers Bluff Casino Resort | $2,684,549.21 | $2,130,779.78 | 25.99% | N/A | N/A |
$141,227,205.70 | $130,364,756.96 | 8.33% | $114,411,776.66 | 23.44% |
Hollywood’s two casinos, Aurora and Joliet, had strong months. Aurora’s $8.5 million in revenue was its fourth-highest total for the year. Joliet’s $8.1 million in December revenue was also its fourth-best in 2023.
The state’s newest casinos put on quite a performance this past month:
- Bally’s Chicago: Broke the $8 million mark for the first time since it opened in September
- Golden Nugget Danvile: Posted its highest revenue total of the year ($3.8 million)
- The Temporary by American Place: Eclipsed the $8 million mark for the first time in 2023
December’s numbers were a welcomed boost after the majority of casinos failed to post monthly gains in November. And also when compared to Illinois’ October 2023 gaming revenue.
Per-casino revenue rebounds after fall struggles
While overall revenues are a good indicator of how a state’s casino revenue is faring, looking at per-casino revenue sheds light on how expansion impacts average revenue across all properties.
Illinois started the year with 11 casinos and finished with 15. Higher revenue numbers at the end of the year are to be expected simply because there are more casinos. For example, casino revenue passed $129 million only twice when the state had 14 casinos or less in the first eight months of the year.
Once Bally’s Chicago opened in September to put the casino total at 15, revenue eclipsed $129 million every month through December:
Month | Total revenue | Total casinos | Revenue per casino |
---|---|---|---|
January 2023 | $112,615,688.88 | 11 | $10,237,789.90 |
February 2023 | $115,016,246.50 | 12 | $9,584,687.21 |
March 2023 | $131,025,422.79 | 12 | $10,918,785.23 |
April 2023 | $128,127,868.04 | 12 | $10,677,322.34 |
May 2023 | $122,042,913.89 | 13 | $9,387,916.45 |
June 2023 | $122,246,789.00 | 13 | $9,403,599.15 |
July 2023 | $133,258,226.55 | 13 | $10,250,632.81 |
August 2023 | $124,438,614.34 | 14 | $8,888,472.45 |
September 2023 | $132,134,246.97 | 15 | $8,808,949.80 |
October 2023 | $129,042,990.20 | 15 | $8,602,866.01 |
November 2023 | $130,364,756.96 | 15 | $8,690,983.80 |
December 2023 | $141,227,205.70 | 15 | $9,415,147.05 |
However, according to data by the Illinois Gaming Board, on a per-casino basis, revenue dipped after Bally’s Chicago opened. The average casino revenue pre-Bally’s Chicago was $9.9 million. After the casino opened, that figure dipped to $8.9 million.
That being said, December’s per-casino revenue of $9.4 million is a good sign. It’s the first time the figure exceeded $9 million since July and indicates the state’s new casinos are starting to mature.