The Illinois casino market saw a boost in revenue in December, as the state’s 15 commercial casinos generated $141.2 million in adjusted gross revenue (AGR), a 7.7% increase from November and a 19% growth from December 2022. The casinos also paid $37.8 million in taxes to the state in December, contributing to the state’s $290 million gaming tax revenue for 2022.
The month of December was a strong one for all casinos, with only one casino posting negative growth. Among the 15 casinos that posted gains month-on-month, nine had double-digit growth. The largest percentage gain was achieved by Walkers Bluff Casino Resort, which increased its AGR by 25.99% to $2.7 million.
However, the casino that dominated the market in terms of revenue and market share was Rivers Casino Des Plaines, which earned $45.4 million in AGR and accounted for 32.2% of the statewide total. Rivers welcomed 279,106 people in December, which represented over 25% of all casino admissions across Illinois during the month. Rivers also generated $16.8 million from its table games and $28.6 million from its slot machines, making it the most profitable casino in Illinois by far.
Grand Victoria Casino was a distant second-place finisher with $12.8 million in AGR, followed by Harrah’s Joliet Casino and Hotel with $11.3 million. Bally’s Chicago Casino and Hollywood Casino Aurora were among the new casinos that broke into the top five with their strong performances.
The Illinois casino market is expected to continue growing in 2023, as more casinos are set to open or expand their operations in the state. The state’s online casino market is still illegal, but lawmakers are debating whether to legalize it or not this legislative session. If online gambling becomes legal, it could attract more customers and increase competition among existing casinos.
