Location: Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker joined hundreds of people from across southern Illinois Aug. 25 to celebrate the opening of the state's 14th casino on a rural estate just outside of Carterville, near Carbondale. The Walker's Bluff Casino Resort is the fourth casino to open in recent years that was authorized by a 2019 gambling expansion law that was a centerpiece…

Today (September 29th) marks the one year anniversary of Cascades Casino in Delta, and they have a lot to celebrate. It has had a significant influence in the community, succeeding as a premier destination for gaming, dining and entertainment. You can enter to win your own incredible staycation in my giveaway. Since opening its doors (you've…

Casino has welcomed more than 627000 guests since its official opening on Sept. 29, 2022 Prize draws, beer tastings and cake are all on the docket as Gateway Casinos & Entertainment celebrates Cascade Casino Delta's first year in business. Officially opened on Sept. 29, 2022, The 160000-square-foot facility in Ladner just north of the Highway…

LONDON, Sept. 20, 2023 Slotsjudge experts join the SBC Summit in Barcelona to participate in debates dedicated to Artificial Intelligence in iGaming software creation. SBC Summit Barcelona 2023: Event & Speakers This year, the SBC Summit will take place on 19-21 September 2023. These 3 days are dedicated to different topics of the gambling…

Live roulette is expected to soon make its debut at the Rockford Casino. A popular casino staple, roulette will be the next addition to the Hard Rock Opening Act's steadily expanding live table game lineup. Here is what you need to know. Roulette will bring the number of table games at the 610 N. Bell School Road casino to nine. There are four…

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Gambling has always been popular, but with sports season kicking off the number of players only increases. "No one could have told me I had an addiction. They may have told me, but it wouldn't have mattered," said "Amy" a woman who has asked to remain anonymous as she is a recovered gambler. "Amy's" addiction started more…

All bets could be on in Chicago this weekend at Medinah Temple if all goes as planned for Bally's over the next few days at the corporation's temporary casino inside the historic River North landmark. The city's first legal slot machines are already visible through the glass doors of the soon-to-open casino at 600 N. Wabash Ave. - and they'll be…

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's very first casino is now open for business. Bally's opened its doors at 8 a.m. Saturday at the former Medinah Temple in River North. First in line was Steven Henry. '"I wanted to get down here before it got really crazy because a lot of people have been buzzing about the new site and this is the first time I've been down…

After decades of political wrangling by past Chicago mayors, years of jockeying by potential developers for the lucrative deal and months of preparation by the lucky bidder, Bally's temporary Chicago casino took the city's first legal wagers from the betting public Saturday morning. Not that any of that lengthy history was on display outside the…

On Saturday morning, Chicago will become the largest city in the United States to have a casino within city limits. The Illinois Gaming Board issued a temporary operating permit to Bally's on Friday afternoon to conduct casino gaming at Medinah Temple, and the gaming company will open its doors to the public at the temporary venue at 8 a.m.…

Bally's, Chicago's first and only casino, will open this Saturday at its temporary River North location. As The Chicago Defender reported on Wednesday, the casino at the historic Medinah Temple would open by this weekend, pending Illinois Gaming Board approval of Bally's gaming sessions. According to Bally's, state gaming officials approved the…

After years of planning, months of buildout and several days of monitored practice sessions, Bally's Chicago got the green light Friday from the Illinois Gaming Board to launch the city's long-sought first casino. Medinah Temple in River North is set to swing open its doors this weekend, welcoming gamblers to try their luck at an ornate temporary…

More than three decades in the making, legalized gambling will make its Chicago debut at 8 a.m. Saturday morning when Bally's opens a temporary casino in River North's Medinah Temple. Chicagoans and tourists feeling lucky can play 800 slot games and 56 table games in the century-old Shriner's temple at 600 N. Wabash Ave., with its distinctive domed…

Chicago's first casino has yet to open to the public, but someone already has hit a jackpot topping $20 million. It's Albert M. Friedman, the clout-heavy developer whose tenants have included three mayors - Brandon Johnson, Lori Lightfoot and Rahm Emanuel. Friedman owns the historic but long-vacant Medinah Temple building about a mile north of City…

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 10:16AM CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's about to be "game on" for Chicago's temporary casino. Wednesday practice games begin at the former Medinah Temple. The building is on Wabash Avenue between Ohio and Ontario streets. Chicago's first casino could be open as soon as this weekend if regulators give the green light following…

Chicago could finally get its temporary casino in a few days. However, even in the eleventh hour before the venue's opening, the planned facility is still getting mixed reviews. Despite all the critics, the casino needs only the state's approval to start operation. There are still some issues that have to be taken care of before the planned casino…

Chicago's first and only casino could open as soon as this Saturday, pending approval by the Illinois Gaming Board. Bally's is slated to open a temporary casino in one of the city's most iconic and historic buildings, the Medinah Temple. "We have to show our regulators that we are ready, as ready as we can be," said Ameet Patel, Bally's Corporation…

RIVER NORTH - The city's first casino could open as early as Saturday if all goes well during a dry run of the temporary site this week. Medinah Temple, 600 N. Wabash Ave., was chosen as the site for Bally's temporary casino last year and will operate for two years, with an option to extend for another 12 months, while a permanent casino is being…

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. has acquired the land associated with the Hard Rock Casino development project in Rockford, Ill., from an affiliate of 815 Entertainment LLC for $100 million. At the same time it acquired the land, Gaming and Leisure Properties entered into a 99-year ground lease with 815 Entertainment. The initial annual rent for…

Get ready, gamblers: Chicago's first casino could open to the public as soon as this month. Illinois Gaming Board in June, officials this week are set to tour and inspect Bally's temporary Chicago casino, located inside the city's historic Medinah Temple at 600 N. Wabash in River North. According to Bally's executives, the temporary casino is…

CARTERVILLE - Gov. JB Pritzker joined hundreds of people from across southern Illinois on a rural estate just outside of Carterville on Friday, Aug. 25, to celebrate the opening of the state's 14th casino. The Walker's Bluff Casino Resort is the fourth casino to open in recent years that was authorized by a 2019 gambling expansion law that was a…

When riverboat casinos first opened in Illinois in the early 1990s, the state's most powerful politicians were conspicuous by their absence. The lure of government money flowing from gamblers had proved too much to resist, but no politician wanted to be photographed dropping coins into a slot machine. There were no speeches in front of the…

On 30 August 2023, reputable real-estate investment company Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI) acquired the land designated for the Hard Rock Casino development project in Rockford, Illinois from 815 Entertainment, the Illinois-based operator of the Hard Rock-branded casino. The acquisition reportedly worth $100.0 million is complemented…

Gaming-focused real estate investment firm Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI) has acquired the land associated with the Hard Rock Casino development project in Rockford, Illinois from an affiliate of815 Entertainment for $100 million. 815 Entertainment is owned by Dan Fischer, the principal, along with a consortium of local investors…

CARTERVILLE - Gov. JB Pritzker joined hundreds of people from across southern Illinois on Friday to celebrate the opening of the state's 14th casino on a rural estate just outside of Carterville. The Walker's Bluff Casino Resort is the fourth casino to open in recent years that was authorized by a 2019 gambling expansion law that was a centerpiece…

A Macomb man won nearly $836000 this year playing the Michigan Lottery's BIG CA$H Second Chance Jackpot Prize, state officials announced Monday. The 62-year-old player snagged a jackpot of $261935 in February then a $573617 prize in July, Michigan Lottery said in a statement. The winner chose to remain anonymous, according to the release. He was…

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. - A Macomb County man won a $573000 Michigan Lottery jackpot five months after he won $261000 playing the same game. The 62-year-old man won $573617 through the BIG CA$H Second Chance jackpot after he was selected in a random drawing on Aug. 9. He earned entries after playing eligible games online. This is the second time he's…

It's almost time for Bally's to go all-in in Chicago. The Illinois Gaming Board will begin a three-day period of assessments and testing at Medinah Temple, the temporary Bally's casino in downtown Chicago, starting Sept. 5. The state agency will begin its assessment before conducting two days of practice gaming sessions Sept. 6-7. If Bally's meets…

See what Potawatomi Casino Hotel's renovated space will look likePotawatomi Hotel & Casino announces a $100 million renovation project for the casino's third floor impacting 120000 square feet of space. Revenue at the Forest County Potawatomi Milwaukee casino increased by just 1.7% during the past 12 months as the tribe prepares to fight new…

CARTERVILLE - Gov. JB Pritzker joined hundreds of people from across southern Illinois on Friday to celebrate the opening of the state's 14th casino on a rural estate just outside of Carterville. The Walker's Bluff Casino Resort is the fourth casino to open in recent years that was authorized by a 2019 gambling expansion law that was a centerpiece…

Thursday, August 24, 2023 10:17AM CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago is about to take a step closer to a new Bally's casino. Regulators will inspect operations at a temporary casino at the Medinah Temple at Wabash Avenue and Ohio Street on September 5 and it could open it's doors to the public by September 9, a spokesperson for the Illinois Gaming Board…

First the barbecue, then the baccarat. Chicago's first casino could launch soon after Labor Day, if all goes well during practice gaming sessions set to take place shortly after the holiday at Bally's temporary Medinah Temple gambling hall. Regulators will inspect the River North operation Sept. 5 and oversee practice gaming sessions Sept. 6-7,…

Gamblers continued to flock to Rockford's temporary casino on Bell School Road where they spent millions in July. It was the second best revenue month of 2023 for Rockford Casino: A Hard Rock Opening Act. In fact, it was the second best month of revenue for the casino since it opened November 2021, according to information from the Illinois Gaming…

The Temporary at American Place in Waukegan is already the third-most-visited casino in Illinois nearly six months after opening, according to Illinois Gaming Board reports, and officials of Full House Resorts this week gave the Waukegan Planning and Zoning Commission a picture of what the permanent American Place will offer. From a five-star,…

It seems the easy way missed Waukegan when it comes to projects enhancing Lake County's largest municipality. Call it the Waukegan Hypothesis. From seeping coal ash pits along the Lake Michigan shoreline to a moribund downtown to the latest twist in the continuing casino drama, the Waukegan Hypothesis takes hold: It's difficult being the county's…

Danville, Illinois witnessed the grand opening ceremony of the Golden Nugget Danville Casino on Friday. City officials, state representatives, and casino authorities gathered under the Golden Nugget sign to mark the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The casino boasts nearly 500 slot machines and a variety of table games, including Baccarat,…

DANVILLE - There was glitz and glamour at Friday's grand opening for the Golden Nugget Danville Casino. City, state and casino officials stood under the sparkling Golden Nugget sign, and in the hot sun, for grand opening ceremony remarks and the ribbon cutting, while the public waited for the casino's opening, listened to music and waited for the…

Anyone who took the over bet on when the Bally's Chicago temporary casino at Medinah Temple would open is looking like a winner. The target date, which has already been pushed back several months, is now slated for September, the company said during its second quarter earnings call Thursday. "Obviously we're a little delayed from what we…

Hold your bets on the opening date for Chicago's first casino. Bally's executives said Thursday they expect their temporary gambling house at the historic Medinah Temple to open sometime in September, a few weeks later than initially suggested by leaders of the Rhode Island-based corporation. Regulators at the Illinois Gaming Board gave an early…

The cards have already been dealt in the Waukegan casino game, but a state appellate court has issued a ruling that could bring back to the table a spurned bidder that has long complained of a "rigged" contest for the coveted gambling license. That means the north suburban casino selection process could end up being reshuffled, even though Las…

If you only take a look at the Hard Rock Casino Rockford construction site once every few weeks, the building would appear to be sprouting magically out of what was recently an empty 25-acre field. The construction site is a hive of activity, much of it taking place inside what will be a 180000-square-foot casino resort, and it's only weeks away…

Since opening in February, The Temporary by American Place in Waukegan is drawing more customers than all but two of Illinois' 13 established casinos, and is in the top half for gross adjusted revenue. Of the 13 casinos operating in Illinois, The Temporary by American Place and the Golden Nugget in Danville are the only temporary operations. The…

DOWNTOWN - Work to convert a beloved Chicago landmark into a temporary world-class casino is nearing completion as Bally's prepares to open in Medinah Temple later this summer. Casino officials took several media outlets on a tour of the facility at 600 N. Wabash Ave. Tuesday, where slot machines and gaming tables scattered across three levels…

Hard Rock Casino Rockford officials appeared in front of the Illinois Gaming Board Thursday morning and unveiled new images of their planned permanent casino resort, to occupy more than 187000-square-foot and set to be located at 7801 E. State St. near the Interstate 90 exit. The company also requested an extension for its temporary location, as it…

DANVILLE - Approaching two months after opening and continuing to increase its operating hours, Golden Nugget Danville Casino's grand opening has been set. A media invitation stated, "Please join us as we celebrate." The invitation is for Aug. 4. The casino opened May 27, Memorial Day weekend. The casino's Temporary Operating Permit from the…

The construction of the outer structure of the Hard Rock Casino Rockford has been completed. On July 12, 2023, the final steel beam was lifted on the top of the construction and traditionally installed to represent a significant milestone in the resort's development reportedly scheduled to open in August of 2024. Significant Milestone: The latest…

The Hard Rock Casino Rockford next summer will be bustling with activity as thousands of visitors gather to gamble, see a show or grab a dinner at its resort on East State Street. On Wednesday, casino dignitaries along with Rockford and Winnebago County leaders celebrated as the final steel beam was hoisted into place and installed during an…

American Place Casino Launches New Hire Getaway Sweepstakes PR Newswire Winner Will Receive a Prize Package Valued at Approximately$5000 WAUKEGAN, Ill.,July 10, 2023/PRNewswire/ -- American PlaceCasino, Northern Chicagoland's newest and best entertainment destination, announced today the launch of their New Hire Getaway Sweepstakes, a special…

After Americans have already gone through several instances of lottery fever in the past year, another round looks to be on the horizon as Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots have soared ahead of this weekend's drawings. The upcoming jackpots combine for a total of over $1.06 billion, with $450 million up for grabs in Friday night's Mega Millions…

The long-expected Wind Creek Chicago Southland casino won't be opened anytime soon, according to the newest information. Bally's - new competition: It isn't good news for the audience and owners of the casino, but the four Northwest Indiana casinos are satisfied with the delay since they'll continue to operate without new competition for a while.…

JOLIET, IL - Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Monday that a Joliet man and his friend from Wilmington both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison for burglarizing businesses and stealing cash from video poker machines. According to the press release, their plea is part of an ongoing burglary case that Raoul announced in 2022…

The Illinois Gaming Board unanimously voted Bally's "preliminarily suitable" at its Thursday meeting, a key step forward for the gaming company to build its $1.7 billion casino in the River West neighborhood of Chicago. The favorable vote was expected after the IGB had approved smaller related measures, including supplier contracts, as Bally's has…

All bets could be on in Chicago by the end of summer. State regulators on Thursday handed down a key early approval to Bally's Chicago casino plan, paving the way for the corporation to launch a temporary gambling house within a couple of months at the historic Medinah Temple in River North while it builds the permanent structure in River West. The…

DANVILLE - The Golden Nugget Danville wasted little time in using a temporary operating permit issued by the Illinois Gaming Board. Thirteen months after a groundbreaking ceremony, the new casino announced its opening to the public for the first time at 4:00 p.m. Saturday. Initially, the casino on Lynch Road in Danville's Eastgate area will be open…

Happy Friday. Took long enough to get here DANVILLE, Va. - A tall young man wearing a scraggly beard and a perplexed expression approached seconds after I walked out of a men's room. It seemed odd, but I was standing in a casino at 10:30 a.m. on a weekday morning, rolling with the flow seemed the way to go. "Um, excuse me, sir," the youngster said.…

Knowing how to take advantage of good fortune and how to properly manage your money during both hot and cold streaks is what puts smart slot players on the gambling "honor roll". Video poker is in a class by itself in the genre of "electronic gaming devices." Unlike their traditional reel and video slot cousins, long-term success on video poker is…

Bally's Corporation announced that the proposed site plan for Bally's Chicago Casino was approved by the Chicago Department of Planning and Urban Development. The plan is to begin construction in late 2024. The $1.7 billion development is projected to bring over 3000 permanent jobs to the city. Bally's Chicago will include 3400 slots and 170 table…

Live casino software and services provider CreedRoomz is heading to Malta to participate in the fifth edition of the CasinoBeats Summit, set to take place May 23-25. The company noted that it will be present for its audience at Stand A39 to explore new business opportunities, network and discuss the latest industry updates. CredRoomz will exhibit…

Bally's Chicago put out the help-wanted sign Wednesday to fill more than 700 positions for its temporary casino at Medinah Temple, which is slated to open in July - pending approval by the Illinois Gaming Board. The casino is hiring everything from card dealers and security to housekeeping and marketing staff. The full list of open positions is…

Casino operator Bally's Chicago announced more than 700 vacant job positions for its temporary casino at Medinah Temple scheduled to open in July 2023 upon the receipt of the Illinois Gaming Board's approval. As the Chicago Tribune reports, the casino is hiring a range of job profiles listed on the company's website. Pending License: Ameet Patel,…

Bally's Chicago put out the help-wanted sign Wednesday to fill more than 700 positions for its temporary casino at Medinah Temple, which is slated to open in July - pending approval by the Illinois Gaming Board. The casino is hiring everything from card dealers and security to housekeeping and marketing staff. The full list of open positions is…

ALTON - Argosy Casino Alton will celebrate its new gaming room with a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 27. "The Music Hall" will be a new play area at the casino. Casino officials said the space will allow Argosy Casino Alton to now offer more than 500 slot machines, including some of the newest available.

Wazdan, the innovative games provider, is to be in attendance at the upcoming Casino Beats Summit in Malta. The event, due to take place from the 23to the 25 of May, will see upwards of 3000 delegates at both a prestigious conference and exhibition as well as the Casino Beats Game Developer Awards, taking place at the InterContinental Malta. The…

Endorphina is set to showcase its latest online casino games at Stand A26 during the highly anticipated Casino Beats Summit 2023, scheduled to take place May 23-25 at Intercontinental Malta. As one of the most highly anticipated events in the iGaming industry, the Casino Beats Summit 2023 offers Endorphina an excellent opportunity to network with…

It's a mathematical fact that when you play a slot machine betting less than max coins per play for a particular game, you're not taking full advantage of the machine's programmed long-term payback percentage. Every slot machine game is governed by what is known as a PAR (Probability and Accounting Report) sheet. It is proprietary information…

Endorphina, the renowned provider of online casino games, has confirmed its attendance at the Casino Beats Summit 2023. The event is scheduled to take place from May 23rd to 25th at the Intercontinental Malta, and Endorphina will be showcasing its latest casino games at Stand A26. As one of the most highly anticipated events in the iGaming…

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - The Illinois Gaming Board has given the approval for live table games at the temporary Hard Rock Casino on East State Street and Bell School Road. Those who come can now play live versions of blackjack, three card poker and ultimate hold'em. Hard Rock Rockford President Geno Iafrate says since it took just 107 days from the…

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Rockford legend Rick Nielsen won the first hand of blackjack ever dealt at the Rockford Casino on a remarkable hand, but at my table, a little ways away, carnage ensued. I was sitting at a table that included state Sen. Dave Syverson, his wife, Lori, and WIFR-23 news anchor Mike Garrigan. We were among the invited…

Rockford Casino has added Live Blackjack, 3 Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold'em at its interim casino. The live table games launch on April 5, 2023. (Photo provided by Hard Rock Rockford) ROCKFORD - Hard Rock Casino Rockford debuts blackjack and other live table games today, taking its offerings beyond slots and other electronic games for the…

A source reports that Hard Rock Casino Rockford has added blackjack and other live table games today. This addition represents a significant milestone in the casino's operations strengthening Hard Rock's portfolio and complementing its offerings of slots and other electronic games with in-demand table games for the first time. Six Tables…

Bally's Casino and Hotel, Rock Island, is planning a $34-million redevelopment, and the city is placing its bets to reimburse a good chunk of that. The former Jumer's Casino and Hotel (bought by Bally's in 2021), at Illinois 92 and I-280, is the oldest of the three Quad Cities casinos, having opened in 2008 and is lagging in market share, said…

PHOENIX - One lucky player in the Valley hit a jackpot over the weekend and holds a ticket worth $115000. The Fantasy 5 Jackpot ticket was sold Sunday in Peoria at a Walmart located at Thunderbird Road and 75th Avenue, according to an Arizona Lottery press release. The winning numbers for the draw were 3, 6, 15, 20 and 36. Odds to win the jackpot…

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- We have 2 big winners from this weekend's Arizona lottery drawings, with the tickets being sold at a popular gas station and supermarket. Arizona Lottery officials say on Saturday, someone who purchased a ticket at the Chino Valley Maverick off of Highway 89 won $578008 in the Mega Multiplier Progressive jackpot. Winning…

Illinois state Sen. Christina Castro filed a bill Wednesday looking to bring internet casino gaming to the Land of Lincoln. The bill, SB 1656, would allow an "Internet gaming operator to offer Internet gaming." It represents a subtle change from her unsuccessful 2021 legislation, SB 2064, which proposed authorizing "casinos or racetracks to offer…

MACOMB (WGEM) - A true, Vegas-like experience is coming to Macomb Dining Company on Saturday, March 4, as an effort to raise funds for a new McDonough County animal shelter. Humane Society member Kathy Waters said they'd like to raise upwards of $30000 during the first ever Casino Night, but a new building will cost around $1.2 million. "We've…

The earliest form of recorded gambling took place about 5000 years ago. Its chances of fading away is about the same as drawing a royal flush in every card game one plays or picking the right Roulette color 100 times in a row. With last week's opening of a temporary casino in Waukegan and in the near future a temporary operation in downtown…

A long-awaited casino expected to provide an economic boost to Waukegan and the area opened this past weekend to VIP fanfare and a big crowd. Thousands attended the grand opening Friday of The Temporary by American Place, the 75000-square-foot initial offering operated by Full House Resorts Inc. Construction is pending on a permanent facility…

Cruz Paredes of Waukegan was the first person in a line of hundreds waiting for The Temporary by American Place casino to open its doors for the first time in her hometown Friday night. She knew exactly what she planned to do. "I'm going to the slot machines," Paredes said. "Then I'm going to the tables and try some 21. This is very exciting." The…

Full House Resorts has announced Friday night as the opening of its temporary casino in Illinois, aptly named The Temporary by American Place. The Temporary is located in Waukegan, approximately 40 miles north of Chicago and less than 20 miles from the Wisconsin state line. Waukegan was one of six locations awarded a casino license in the 2019…

State gambling regulators signed off on Thursday the initial steps toward the opening of Chicago's first casino, voting in favor of a license for Medinah Temple to serve as the home of a temporary gambling hall that developer Bally's hopes to open by June. The permanent building, to open its doors in 2026, will be built west of the Chicago River on…

One of the biggest names in online bingo and casino games is Pragmatic Play. From its live casino to Bingo Blast, this provider is on top of its game. We're excited to present an in-depth look at the company and its plans throughout 2023. Read on as we interview Daniel Hansen, Head of B2C. Q: Considering the iGaming space when you launched in 2015,…

The first in-person Illinois Gaming Board meeting in more than three years was a relatively low-key affair on Thursday, with the biggest news being Medinah Building and Medinah Holdings being unanimously approved for casino supplier licenses connected to Bally's temporary casino in downtown Chicago. Both licensees are connected to Medinah Temple,…

Rockford Casino, A Hard Rock Opening Act opened 2023 by posting one of its most successful months of operation in terms of revenue so far, according to data released Tuesday by the Illinois Gaming Board. The temporary Rockford casino raked in more than $5 million in January. That is 49% more than the $3.3 million the casino collected in revenue…

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) reported casino revenue totaling $114.4 million for the month of December, as the gaming discipline generated $290 million in state tax revenue for the 2022 calendar year. Overall, the state's 11 venues generated $1.35 billion in operator revenue in 2022, an increase of 13.6% compared to the $1.19 billion generated…

As WJOL reported back in November of 2021 a big move has finally been confirmed. PENN Entertainment has announced that they will be constructing a new land-based casino as part of the Rock Run Crossings development in the city of Joliet. The development, which is currently under construction, is located at the interchange of I-55 and I-80. The…

There are many reasons for slot players to learn how to play video poker, but one of the very best is the transparency of video poker games. Whereas the individual payback percentages of traditional spinning reel and video slots are proprietary information, video poker is an open book. The payback percentages of video poker games are based on a…

The city of Chicago is getting closer to selecting a final location to build a proposed casino, a project that Mayor Lori Lightfoot says would bring in $175-$195 million in projected tax revenue. "The revenue is gonna shore up our police and fire pensions, critically important," Lightfoot said. "It's gonna relieve the burden on our…

DES PLAINES, Ill. (WGN) - The Illinois winners of July's Mega Millions $1.34 billion historic lottery drawing have finally come forward. According to the Illinois Lottery, the prize will be shared by two people who agreed to split the jackpot if they won. The winners wish to remain anonymous but said they are "over the moon" with their Mega…

The vast majority of gamblers who play craps bet that the dice will pass. In other words, they hope that the shooter will make the point before rolling a seven. There is another dimension to the game known as betting the "Don't," sometimes referred to as the "dark side" of this fascinating table game. When you wager on the Don't, you're betting…

DANVILLE, Ill. - Residents cheered Tuesday as Danville city officials wearing hard hats shoveled dirt on a patch of land in an industrial park off of Interstate 74. By next spring, that land is expected to be the home of Danville's Golden Nugget Casino. Former State Representative Lou Lang, who advised Danville officials on the casino project, said…

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois is one of several states poised to allow online casino-style gaming to help offset pandemic relief funding losses, a new report indicates. A report by Bonus.com said states have bills to pay and with federal funds drying up, they may look to alternative revenue sources instead of raising taxes on their residents. Illinois…

With Full House Resorts American Place temporary casino scheduled to open early this year, Waukegan is getting a better idea of some of the benefits which will accrue to the city as each phase of the development evolves over the next five years. Once the 75000-square-foot temporary casino opens with 50 table games, 1000 slot machines, a sportsbook…

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois is one of several states poised to allow online casino-style gaming to help offset pandemic relief funding losses, a new report indicates. A report by Bonus.com said states have bills to pay and with federal funds drying up, they may look to alternative revenue sources instead of raising taxes on their residents. Illinois…

Christmas just got much, much merrier for four lucky Illinois Lottery players. Four winning Illinois lottery tickets worth between $1 million and $50000 were sold late last week in different locations across the state as well as online, on the Illinois Lottery website, officials said. According to the Illinois Lottery, a $1 million winning Lotto…

In addition to spending money on Christmas presents, folks in the Illinois Valley have been putting a lot of money into slot machines. Ottawa led the way in Starved Rock Country with more than $3.8 million put into machines last month. Peru and Streator also saw quite a bit of gaming activity, with almost $2.9 and $2.5 million dollars gambled in…

Bally's completed its $200 million purchase of the Freedom Center printing plant Friday, paving the way to build Chicago's long-sought and much-debated casino. The Rhode Island-based company bought the 30-acre River West site from Nexstar Media Group, with plans to transform it into a $1.74 billion casino complex. What becomes of the Chicago…

By CHRIS ALTRUDA From usbets.com The Illinois Gaming Board reported $114 million in casino gaming revenue in November, as a dip in electronic gaming device (EGD) and slots revenue offset a year-best total from table games. The total was 1.7% lower than the $116 million generated in October as admissions to the state's 11 gaming venues dipped 4.3%…

Hoping it will be " The Flame " that draws patrons to northern Illinois, Hard Rock and local ownership group 815 Entertainment broke ground Wednesday on a $310 million casino in Rockford that is scheduled to open in late 2023. In a tent filled to capacity next to its temporary venue, called A Hard Rock Opening Act, dignitaries who included Hard…

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot chose Bally's Corporation from the three short-listed candidates to hold the city's first casino license, with the promise of a $40 million upfront payment and then a $200 million annual tax jackpot. The selection of the Bally's $1.7 billion casino and resort development proposal marks a milestone in the city's…