Illinois’ October casino revenue was a mix of good and bad news.
Bally’s Chicago, the state’s newest casino and the only property in Chicago, posted $7.6 million in revenue last month, good enough for fourth among the state’s 15 casinos, according to data released by the Illinois Gaming Board.
Overall, casinos brought in $129,042,988 in revenue, down 2.4% compared to September but up 11.3% year-on-year.
Only three Illinois casinos post gains in October
October casino revenue totals dropped by more than $3 million month-on-month in Illinois. Twelve of fifteen casinos saw declines.
Of those 12 casinos, three had double-digit losses:
- Walker’s Bluff: -26.1%
- Argosy Casino: -11.8%
- Hollywood Casino Joliet: 10.9%
Rivers Casino, the perennial top revenue-earner in the state, posted a 4.43% increase month-on-month, tempering the state’s overall decline.
Bally’s Chicago eclipsed $7.6 million in its first full month of operation, marking a 13.93% increase over its September revenue numbers.
Hard Rock Casino Rockford, the only other casino to have month-on-month growth, saw its revenue rise around $60,000.
| Casino | October 2023 Revenue | September 2023 Revenue | Month-on-Month Change | October 2022 Revenue | Year-on-Year Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argosy Casino | $2,626,213 | $2,977,005 | -11.78% | $2,924,410.00 | -10.20% |
| Bally's Chicago | $7,608,826 | $6,678,431 | 13.93% | N/A | N/A |
| Bally's Quad Cities Casino & Hotel | $5,129,767 | $5,232,158 | -1.96% | $4,703,449.00 | 9.06% |
| Golden Nugget Danville | $3,039,214 | $3,340,238 | -9.01% | N/A | N/A |
| DraftKings at Casino Queen | $6,037,496 | $6,472,943 | -6.73% | $6,387,238.00 | -5.48% |
| The Temporary at American Place | $7,269,093 | $7,818,091 | -7.02% | N/A | N/A |
| Grand Victoria Casino | $11,785,317 | $12,428,576 | -5.18% | $12,794,789.00 | -7.89% |
| Hard Rock Casino Rockford | $5,803,900 | $5,739,968 | 1.11% | $4,944,234.00 | 17.39% |
| Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel | $10,110,350 | $10,950,775 | -7.67% | $11,577,354.00 | -12.67% |
| Harrah's Metropolis Casino | $4,979,965 | $5,311,677 | -6.24% | $5,359,237.00 | -7.08% |
| Hollywood Casino Aurora | $7,593,706 | $8,316,683 | -8.69% | $8,184,107.00 | -7.21% |
| Hollywood Casino Joliet | $6,773,787 | $7,603,428 | -10.91% | $7,468,244.00 | -9.30% |
| Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino | $4,864,220 | $4,927,046 | -1.28% | $5,130,410 | -5.19% |
| Rivers Casino | $43,290,389 | $41,453,309 | 4.43% | $46,484,912 | -6.87% |
| Walker's Bluff Casino Resort | $2,130,745 | $2,883,917 | -26.12% | N/A | N/A |
| Total | $129,042,988 | $132,134,245 | -2.34% | $115,958,384.00 | 11.28% |
Year-on-year numbers boosted by casino openings
While Illinois’ month-on-month revenue was down 2.3%, its year-on-year picture was more positive.
Revenue was up $13.1 million compared to October 2022, thanks to three new casinos opening. However, when adjusted for casinos that were not open in October 2022, total revenue was actually down nearly $7 million.
Additionally, only two casinos saw year-on-year gains: Bally’s Quad Cities and Hard Rock Rockford. The two casinos were up 9.1% and 17.4%, respectively.
