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State of Play’s TL;DR
- Chicago is reconsidering its December 2025 decision to allow video gaming machines.
- A Chicago City Council committee is now reviewing an ordinance to revoke that authorization.
Chicago’s City Council Committee on Workforce Development is considering an ordinance that would repeal the city’s authorization of video gaming machines.
The city approved video gaming in December 2025, when 30 alderpersons backed the measure despite opposition from Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Johnson is now seeking a reversal. According to the source report, the mayor argues that video gaming would be a net loss for Chicago. A consultant hired by the mayor’s office estimated the machines would cost the city $3 million annually because of added law-enforcement strain.
That stands in contrast to the city’s earlier budget assumptions. Chicago’s budget had projected $6.8 million in new revenue from authorizing video gaming.
State has already approved six businesses
The issue is already moving through the regulatory pipeline. The Illinois Gaming Board has approved a first batch of applicants in Chicago, with six businesses receiving state approval. But those businesses still need final city approval before they can begin operating.
Illinois’ Video Gaming Act has allowed the machines since 2009. Under that law, businesses can house up to six games, while truck stops can have as many as 10.
Municipalities can opt out, and Chicago had done exactly that until last December.
Johnson had previously signaled some openness to the idea during last year’s debate, saying: “I’m open. I’ll just say it like that, because the work that we have to do to continue to build a safe and affordable city requires us to make critical investments. As long as people are willing to participate in that form of entertainment, it’s an opportunity for us to secure the revenue.”
City gets just 5% tax revenue from machines
Chicago receives 5% of video gaming revenue under the law. By comparison, the city’s share of Bally’s slot revenue ranges from 10.5% to 34.7%, depending on revenue.
That revenue split helps explain why the debate has drawn attention around Bally’s Chicago, the $1.7 billion casino project. The dispute is not just about whether video gaming expands legal gambling access. It is also about whether widespread terminals in bars and other venues could undercut the economics of a major casino development.
The immediate question is whether the City Council committee advances the repeal ordinance to the full council. If it does, the full 50-member council will decide whether to keep or revoke the authorization it approved just months ago.
Based on reporting by Devin O-Connor for Casino.org.
