Bally’s Chicago Pays Jackpot Winner After Immigration Status Delays Payout

^{Bally’s operates a temporary casino in Chicago out of the Medinah Temple in River North, where a $1,200 jackpot dispute involving an immigrant's ID occurred and garnered the attention of national media. (Photo: Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune via Alamy Live News}

An immigrant seeking asylum in the United States says that he has received his jackpot from Bally’s Chicago, but only after media attention was brought to the case late last month.

The man, who only identified himself as Nick to conceal his identity, told his story to CBS News after he hit a jackpot worth about $1,200 at the temporary facility in Chicago.

Bally’s Reaches Out After Media Coverage

Because of the size of the jackpot exceeded the reporting threshold, the payout required a hand pay. Nick shared his identification in order to receive the payout with a limited-term REAL ID compliant ID card issued to legal immigrants in Illinois who have proper documentation to verify their identities. Illinois requires guests like Nick who receive a handpay to complete an Individual Taxpayer Identification and complete a W-2G form, which reports substantial gambling winnings as part of one's personal income to the federal government.

“I’ve been a regular since they opened, and I’ve won 11 jackpots, I believe, in the past and never had any problems,” Nick told CBS News. “This time, however, they decided to not pay off, because of my limited-term ID, and I’ve always had that kind of ID.”

Nick said he spent days speaking with Bally’s without a resolution to the issue. Bally’s declined to publicly comment on the case as well.

It wouldn’t be until a week later – a day after media reports about the situation were published – that Bally’s finally reached out to Nick and paid him his winnings. Nick told CBS News Chicago that the casino also offered him dinner as well to make up for the inconvenience.

New Reporting Rules May Limit Hand Pay Issues

While Bally’s still is yet to issue a statement on the situation,  it’s unlikely that there would have been an issue at all if this jackpot would've happened just days later,

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2026, casinos will only have to issue Form W-2G to slots players who win a minimum of $2,000. That new higher reporting threshold updates a rule that was last set in 1977, which required tax forms for all slots winners who hit jackpots of $1,200 or more.

Industry officials said the change was well overdue, as the value of a $1,200 jackpot is significantly less – and payouts of that size far more common – than they were in 1977. The American Gaming Association has pushed for an even higher reporting threshold of $5,000. By increasing the limit, casinos can reduce the amount of hand pays and avoid disputes like this related to identification.

Bally’s Chicago is currently running out of a temporary facility at the historic Medinah Temple in River North. The firm has begun construction on a $1.7 billion casino and hotel complex that will be located at the site of the former Chicago Tribune press building in River West. The property will include a 500-room hotel tower, 3,000-seat theater, and six restaurants.