The Illinois Gaming Board unanimously voted to renew Rivers Casino’s gaming license

Last week, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) renewed Rivers Casino’s gaming license along with Hawthorne Race Course’s master sports wagering license. The IGB unanimously voted 4-0 in favor of the renewals that will run for another four years. Rivers Casino is licensed through August 2028 and Hawthorne in September of the same year. Of the 15 casinos operating in Illinois, Rivers Casino is a top revenue generator for the state. They are located in Des Plaines, Illinois near the O’Hare International Airport. Through the first eight months of 2024, Rivers Casino has reported $346.2 million in winnings. Good enough for $103.9 million in local and state tax revenue. 

Hawthorne Race Couse was one of the first venues in Illinois to offer retail sports betting. Recently, they’ve been working to open a racino in the south Chicago suburb of Stickney. However, their progress has been slow in recent years. Hawthorne opened their doors for business in July 2020 with the help of Australia-based PointsBet. In June 2023, PointsBet was acquired by Fanatics for $225 million. The switch to Fanatics for their retail location happened in March and the mobile sportsbooks changed the following month. Rush Street Interactive has been operating on a temporary permit in Illinois since June 2020. The IGB approved Rush Street Interactive for a Management Services Provider license for the next four years to run through September 2028. Rush Street Interactive operates the BetRivers mobile sportsbook through Rivers Casino and they were the first mobile operator to accept wagers in Illinois.

Rivers Casino is a prime source of revenue in the Land of Lincoln

Corey Wise is the General Manager for Rivers Casino. Mr. Wise made a presentation for the IGB to get their casino license renewed. In the four years since first acquiring a retail betting incense in the state, they’ve generated $568 million in state and local gaming taxes. That is far and away the largest source of revenue from table games in Illinois. Rivers Casino’s $132.2 million in winnings from games is nearly half of the $270.5 million from all operators in the state. Additionally, Corey Wise noted Rivers Casino invested $115 million for an expansion plan that was completed in 2022. That includes a recent $6 million investment into their VIP players lounge and a full sit-down restaurant. At the moment, Rivers employs over 1,900 people, 93% are full-time employees. Despite Bally’s opening their temporary casino in the Medinah Temple, Rivers Casino has been steady in the market.