Illinois Might See A Casino Boom In 2023
The massive gaming expansion bill Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law in June 2019 was notable on two fronts: It legalized sports wagering in the Land of Lincoln and provided six locations with new casino licenses.
Fast forward past a pandemic and three-plus years, and tax revenue from sports wagering — aided largely by Pritzker issuing Executive Order 2020-41 during the pandemic and repeatedly renewing it to launch mobile wagering — has outpaced tax receipts from any of those six physical venues. Combined state and county taxes have surpassed $200 million from when the first bets were placed in March 2020, while casino tax receipts in those six locations have totaled just $12 million — all from Hard Rock operating its temporary venue in Rockford.