Casino News In Illinois

4/14/20224/14/2022

Illinois is the sixth-largest state in the US, and Chicago is the nation’s third-largest city.It is one of the most sports-dense states, too, and home to ten riverboat casinos. It’s also a state in which online gambling bills have been discussed for several years without any tangible progress — at least until June 2019. During an overtime weekend in the state capitol, lawmakers. Walker's Bluff Casino Update. THE RESORT AT WALKER'S BLUFF PROJECT 326 Vermont Rd Carterville, IL 62918 (618) 956-9900. Under the Rebuild Illinois Law enacted in June 2019 a new casino license is allocated for the Resort at Walker's Bluff in Williamson County, Illinois.

Gov. Pritzker makes announcement

Riverboat casinos in Illinois could be back in action on January 15 after Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that all 11 regions in the state can soon move out of Tier 3 restrictions, subject to COVID-19-related metrics.

Casino News In Illinois

Gov. Pritzker posted a video tweet of the January 6 press briefing, which also featured an update from the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Dr Ngozi Ezike.

The good news for gamblers in the Prairie State comes after Illinois emerged from Thanksgiving without a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Reasons to be optimistic

Illinois’s Tier 3 restrictions came into effect on November 19, shuttering performing arts and movie theatres as well as indoor sports recreation centers. Casinos and gaming venues, which were already operating under Tier 2 mitigation procedures that included closing at 11pm and a 25% capacity limit, were also on the November closure list. Gambling facilities reapply these measures once they move back to Tier 2.

early signs that some regions have made real progress”

In his Wednesday news briefing, Gov. Pritzker said that, on the advice of Dr Ezike and other infectious disease experts in the state, it would be “unwise to downgrade any region […] while in the holiday season.”

As Illinois lifts Tier 3 restrictions across its 11 regions on January 15 subject to meeting set metrics, state officials will be on the lookout for any signs of an increase in infection rates following a post-festive season incubation period. Pritzker, however, said he was “cautiously optimistic as there are some early signs that some regions have made real progress.”

According to NBC 5 Chicago, any region can move to Tier 2 if its test positivity rate is less than 12% for three consecutive days. Other metrics include a 20% availability of ICU and hospital beds, plus a decrease in coronavirus hospitalizations across seven of the previous ten days.

Welcome return to business

For the Land of Lincoln’s ten riverboat casinos, the potential January 15 reopening date signals a welcome return to business, particularly for Caesars Entertainment and Penn National Gaming, which operate three riverboat casinos apiece.

Before the full November shutdown order came into effect, figures published by the Illinois Gaming Board revealed that the riverboat casinos posted an October 2020 revenue of $16.5m. This was just a third of the $168.4m that the state’s 37,459 video gaming terminals (VGTs) made in the same month, before they too had to switch off under Tier 3 regulations. The municipal tax that VGTs contributed to state coffers in October alone was over half the revenue made by the riverboat casinos.

The governor of Illinois has expressed optimism that the state might soon move out of Tier 3 lockdown, which means the casinos in the state are likely to be allowed to once again open their doors.

Governor J.B. Pritzker said Illinois’ 11 regions might begin easing restrictions on 15 January, as long as the metrics support it. The date is a tentative deadline for the incubation period for cases after the holidays starting 1 January.

Pritzker said: “We are watching closely in this incubation period post-Christmas and New Year’s. I am cautiously optimistic as there are some early signs that some regions have made real progress.”

The governor stated there was no sharp increase in cases after Thanksgiving and healthcare officials are monitoring the post-Christmas holiday period for any possible spikes.

The state’s Tier 3 lockdown limits gatherings and bars and restaurants have limited operations (such as no indoor seating); even grocery stores can work at 50% capacity only. The casinos closed mid-November after an increase in COVID-19 cases.

It has affected all riverboat casinos as well as gaming terminals in various locations, and it’s the second time the casino industry suffered a shutdown due to pandemic, with previous closure lasting from 16 March to 30 June.

Illinois Gaming News

Before the closure, based on the data from the Illinois gaming board, adjusted gross revenue for table games for October was $19.7m, with EGD gross revenue at $59.4m. Monthly casino report put total adjusted gross receipts at $79.1m.