Video Gaming Terminals in Chicago? Bally’s Corp. Most Certainly Hopes Not
Posted on: July 29, 2025, 08:33h.
Last updated on: July 29, 2025, 08:57h.
- Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is easing opposition to video gaming terminals
- The slot-like games could impact Bally’s forthcoming casino in the Windy City
- Chicago remains in a financial emergency
The City of Chicago has opted not to take advantage of Illinois’ legalization of slot-like video gaming terminals (VGTs) since July 2009, when the Video Gaming Act was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn (D). Sixteen years later, and with the Windy City in a financial storm, Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) is easing his opposition.
The Video Gaming Act allows retail businesses, restaurants and bars, truck stops, and veterans and fraternal organizations to house the slot-like terminals in municipalities that haven’t chosen to forbid such gaming. Most small businesses can have up to six VGTs, while truck stops can have up to 10.
Today, Illinois is home to almost 50K VGTs, and the games operate in most counties and cities. The biggest exception has always been Chicago, Illinois’ most populous city.
Faced with a significant debt burden, a massive pension liability problem, consistent budget shortfalls, and rising costs, paired with mounting pressure from lawmakers to consider VGTs, Johnson said this week he’s open to the idea of allowing the gaming machines. Johnson has strong backing among the 50-seat Chicago City Council, which is absent of even a single Republican.
Bally’s Impact
Bally’s Corp. is to be Chicago’s economic savior. The company is in early construction of its roughly $2 billion project to bring an integrated resort casino to the former Chicago Tribune printing plant.
Revenue from the Bally’s casino and associated resort operations is to play a significant role in increasing city funding, though the company’s temporary casino at the Medinah Temple has fallen woefully short of premarket expectations.
Bally’s is the only casino within Chicago proper. Allowing VGTs across the city could keep some slots players away from the River West neighborhood, where the permanent resort will operate.
Johnson isn’t fully embracing VGTs, as the machines primarily benefit the state. But, he’s “open.”
I’m open. I’ll just say it like that, right, because the work that we have to do to continue to build a safe and affordable city requires us to make critical investments,” Johnson said of VGTs during a press conference this week.
“As long as people are willing to participate in that form of entertainment, it’s an opportunity for us to secure the revenue that’s needed,” Johnson reasoned.
The state collects 30% of a VGT’s gross revenue, while the host municipality gets just 5%. The host establishment and terminal operator split 64.08% of the money equally, and the remaining 0.92% goes to cover administrative costs incurred by the Illinois Gaming Board.
Conversely, Chicago receives about 12.3% of the Bally’s casino gaming revenue.
Chicago Already Benefits From VGTs
Though Chicago doesn’t allow VGTs, the city greatly benefits from the slot games operating elsewhere in the Land of Lincoln.
The state’s VGT tax benefit supports the Capital Projects Fund and Local Government Video Gaming Distributive Fund. While the latter is available only to municipalities that allow VGTs, the former is available for all towns.
Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, the Capital Projects Fund was authorized in 2020 through the state’s “$45 Billion Rebuild Illinois Plan,” the same legislative package that authorized Chicago’s downtown casino and five rural casinos in the Chicago suburbs.
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