Rivers Casino announced that its new poker room at its Des Plaines location would open later this month.
Part of an $87 million expansion, the new gaming amenity, complete with 22 tables, will be the fourth poker room to open in Illinois.
Others include:
- Grand Victoria Casino Elgin
- Hollywood Casino Aurora
- Bally’s Quad Cities
More about Rivers Casino opening
In February, Rush Street Gaming CEO Greg Carlin had this to say:
“With this proposed expansion, we will be able to offer our guests more of the entertainment and dining options they enjoy, additional gaming opportunities and a long-desired poker room. We have always offered a first-class experience for our guests. As the economy reopens, we’re excited to raise the bar and provide them with an even better experience.”
The first floor of this Illinois casino expansion is complete, while the second floor is still in progress. Once finished, the total footprint will be total 78,000 square feet.
Chicago Rivers casino updates
Rivers Casino is one of the three finalists remaining for a chance to operate a casino in Chicago.
- Rivers 78
- Bally’s Tribune Publishing Center
- Hard Rock One Central
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she plans to select a winner in early summer. Community meetings will be held in the coming days to discuss each proposal.
- Harold Washington Library April 5 – Hard Rock
- Tribune Publishing Plant April 6 – Bally’s
- Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum April 7 – Rivers
Could online poker be on the way?
One of the many topics of discussion has been the expansion of gambling to include online poker.
State Rep. Mike Zalewski remains optimistic that online poker will be available in due time. Zalewski was the lead sponsor of a bill that legalized Illinois sports betting.
During a radio interview on 670 The Score, Zalewski had this to say:
“Going into the 2023 legislative session, that’ll be coming out of stimulus money and we’ll be looking for ways to generate revenue. I expect online poker to be something seriously discussed soon. I think the prospects are good. I’ve been up in Michigan, I’ve been on the DraftKings app. It’s haunting how easy it is. But the technology is there and I expect it to be legal sooner rather than later.”
