SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Gaming Board (the “IGB” or “Board”) licensed new casinos in Danville, Carterville and Chicago and renewed the existing license for the Argosy Casino Alton during Thursday’s October meeting.
At the meeting, the IGB issued new casino owners’ licenses to Danville Development, LLC d/b/a Golden Nugget Danville, Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort, LLC d/b/a Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort and Bally’s Chicago Operating Company, LLC d/b/a Bally’s Chicago.
Before the Board voted on licensure, representatives from each of the casinos addressed the Board about their suitability for licensure, providing highlights of their respective operations since opening and sharing their future plans. In addition to licensing Bally’s Chicago, the Board also approved a request from Bally’s Chicago under Rule 3000.540(d) to operate its temporary casino at Medinah Temple for an additional 12 months, for a total of 36 months, while its permanent facility is constructed in Chicago.
“With today’s licensing actions, the IGB has opened and licensed five new casinos since November of 2021 in Rockford, Waukegan, Danville, Carterville, and Chicago in addition to its other regulatory and law enforcement work,” said IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter. “During this period of unprecedented growth and expansion, the staff and Board Members of the IGB remained steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the ethics, compliance, integrity, safety, and transparency of Illinois gaming and we will continue to do so.”
The Board also renewed a four-year license for the Alton Casino LLC d/b/a Argosy Casino Alton following a license renewal hearing.
During the meeting, Administrator Fruchter announced that on October 17, 2023, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) adopted proposed Video Gaming Rule 1800.1750, which the Board adopted at the April 27, 2023 meeting. The new rule requires the posting of responsible gaming signage in all licensed video gaming locations in Illinois, which is consistent with the responsible gaming signage required at casinos and sportsbooks statewide.
Administrator Fruchter thanked JCAR for adopting the rule and assisting the IGB’s ongoing efforts to support responsible gaming. The final text of the adopted rule and approved signage text will be posted on the IGB’s website.
In addition, the IGB announced the completion of a study it previously commissioned on undue economic concentration in the video gaming industry. The purpose of the study was to review, analyze, and develop an approach for measuring undue economic concentration in video gaming under Section 25(i) of the Video Gaming Act and Video Gaming Rule 440. Christiansen Capital Advisors completed the study, which will be made available on the IGB’s website. The IGB will use the study’s findings and recommendations to advance its regulatory work to preserve an innovative, competitive, and robust market in Illinois.
“Complex and important issues surrounding undue economic concentration have been largely unresolved since passage of the Video Gaming Act in 2009, and this study is an important step for the IGB’s work in this space,” said IGB Administrator Fruchter.
At the meeting, the Board’s actions included:
For video gaming, the IGB approved licenses for:
o 92 video gaming locations
o 18 terminal handlers
o Two new terminal operators
The IGB denied licenses for:
o Six video gaming locations
For casinos, the IGB approved:
o Four owners’ licenses
o 51 key persons
o Seven Level 1 casino occupational licenses
o 87 Level 2 casino occupational licenses
o 83 Level 3 casino occupational licenses
The IGB denied licenses for:
o Six Level 2 and 3 casino occupational licenses
For sports wagering, the IGB approved:
o One new supplier
o Four key persons
o One Level 1 sports wagering occupational license
o 59 Level 2 sports wagering occupational licenses
For the online only master sports wagering license competitive selection process:
o Administrator Fruchter announced that the sole qualified bidder, DGC IL LLC withdrew its application effective October 24, 2023, meaning that the supplemental competitive selection process for an online only master sports wagering license under Section 25-45 of the Sports Wagering Act concluded without the issuance of any licenses.
The IGB will conduct it next scheduled regular meeting on December 7, 2023. Illinois is home to 15 casinos, 11 licensed sportsbooks, and a network of more than 8,400 licensed video gaming establishments.