Illinois casino revenue nears pre-pandemic levels with $1.34B in 2022

According to the latest report from the Illinois Gaming Board, gambling revenue in the state is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. Illinois casinos registered total adjusted gross revenue of almost $1.348 billion in 2022, meaning income is only about 0.4% below the 2019 total of $1.354 billion, which was the last year before the COVID-pandemic struck. Revenue in 2022 was also up 14% over 2021. 

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic had a major effect on Illinois casinos. From March 16 until June 30, 2020, all casinos were closed. This caused a drastic decrease in revenue compared to the previous year - a massive 73% drop. Nevertheless, 2021 already saw an improvement, with a total of $1.187 billion in revenue.

Rivers Casino was the top-generating property in 2022, which saw $528.7 million in revenue. Grand Victoria Casino followed with $154.4 million. Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel raked in $135.1 million, while Hollywood Casino Aurora reported a total of $99,4 million in revenue. Hollywood Casino Joliet came rounds out the top five, with $87 million.

In 2022, the total amount of taxes returned to Illinois state and local governments from casinos was remarkable, soaring 307% from 2020 and up 16% from 2021. The state alone collected nearly $290 million in taxes whereas local governments took in $76.5 million, coming to an aggregated sum of $366.5 million. Although local taxes in 2022 were close to the figure in 2019, the state taxes that year added up to over $377 million, which made the entire number of taxes paid exceed $455 million.

Moreover, visitation to casinos in Illinois recovered in 2022, reaching a total of over nine million guests. While up from 7.6 million visitors in 2021 and considerably above 2.4 million visitors in 2020, it was still not enough to reach the 2019 total of 10 million visitors.

Hollywood Casino Aurora

As reported by PlayIllinois, numbers are expected to surpass 2019 levels in 2023. The Prairie State will likely welcome five new casinos and a larger one in 2023 to further drive revenue and place the state’s total number of casinos at 16:

• The Temporary by American Place Casino in Waukegan is expected to open in January.
• Golden Nugget Danville is scheduled to open in March.
• The temporary Bally’s Chicago casino is scheduled to open at the Medinah Temple in June.
• Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort in Williamson County is scheduled to open sometime in 2023.
• A permanent Hard Rock Rockford casino is scheduled to open late in 2023.
• Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino on the border between Homewood and East Hazel Crest, is scheduled to open in late 2023 or early 2024.

Also, racinos will be coming to both Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero, and the FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing in Fairmount, close to St. Louis.