Illinois Casino Revenue Up in January Despite Sportsbook Struggles

^{Rivers Casino led the state in gaming revenue in January, generating more than $42 million during a strong month for Illinois' land-based casinos. (Photo: courtesy of Rivers Casino)}

Illinois casinos recorded $165 million in revenue for January, up from the previous year’s figure of $144 million and representing a year-on-year increase of 14.6%.  

The figures, published by the Illinois Gaming Board, show that of the combined total, slots accounted for $121.9 million, up 12% year-on-year from $108.8 million. Table games revenue was also up last month, rising from $35.2 million to $43.1 million, a year-on-year increase of 22.7%.  

As Illinois casinos experience a successful month, the state’s sports betting industry has taken a hit. Reports show that since the state imposed a per-wager tax for sportsbook operators, charging operators $0.25 per wager for the first 20 million bets and $0.50 per wager beyond that, resulting in a year-on-year drop of 25.1% in December.  

Rivers Casino Leads the Rest in January 

Of Illinois’ 17 casinos, only two recorded year-on-year declines, 14 had increased, and Fairmount Park didn’t have any comparable data after opening its doors to guests in April of last year.  

Rivers Casino recorded the highest revenue for the month, up 8.7% to $42.1 million. Slots at the casino generated $25.9 million, up 6% year-on-year, while table games recorded $16.2 million in revenue, up 13.3% year-on-year.  

Following this, Wind Creek was the second-highest revenue generator in the state, reporting $19.2 million in revenue, up 44.8% year-on-year. Slots and table games revenue also recorded double-digit rises, with slots up 32.9% to $13.2 million and table games up 79.8% to $6 million.  

Hollywood Casino Joliet recorded the greatest year-on-year revenue increase of the 17 casinos, rising 60.3% to $11.3 million. Of this total, slots generated $9.3 million, up 53.8% and table games were up a whopping 100.1% to $2 million.  

Harrah’s Joliet had the most significant year-on-year decline last month, reporting a 5.5% decrease to $8.3 million. Slots declined 6.4% at the casino, dropping to $7.2 million, while table games revenue remained stable with $1.1 million.  

The only other casino to report a decline was Argosy Casino Alton, decreasing 1.9% year-on-year to $2.5 million. Slots increased 2.7% to $2.4 million. At the same time, table games declined 50% to $113,291.  

Illinois Experiences Drop in Bettors After Tax Hike 

As casinos' record revenue increases in January, the same cannot be said for the state’s sports betting industry. In December, legal wagers declined 25.1% year-on-year, with September to December statistics showing a combined drop of 27.6 million wagers compared to the same period in 2024.  

The drop in wagers comes after the Illinois Gaming Board implemented a new tax on sportsbook operators in September, resulting in a $0.25 per-wager fee for operators for bets under $20 million and a $0.50 per-wager fee for bets exceeding that.  

In response to the tax, operators introduced their own per-bet tax to offset the per-wager fees, leading bettors to place lower bets as well as higher-value bets to avoid the charge.  

“They’re increasing the size of their bet, which is something many responsible gaming experts warned policymakers about, or they’re looking elsewhere, illegal or unregulated platforms,” said Joe Maloney, president of the Sports Betting Alliance, in response to the decline.