Bally's Chicago has received a one-year extension to finalize its permanent casino project after the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) approved the request. This extension allows the operator to keep its temporary casino running beyond the initial three-year limit set by the state.
Administrator Marcus Fruchter of the IGB has been authorized to extend the deadline for Bally's Chicago to September 9, 2027. This decision follows a recent action by the Illinois General Assembly, which empowered the IGB to permit the continued operation of the temporary facility past the previously established deadline. However, Senate Bill 3019, which provides the legal framework for this extension, is still awaiting the signature of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
Since September 9, 2023, Bally's has been operating its temporary casino at the historic Medinah Temple in downtown Chicago and intends to do so until the permanent venue is ready.
The new Bally's Chicago casino is currently under construction along the Chicago River, located near Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street, to the northwest of downtown. The facility is expected to feature 3,300 slot machines, 173 table games, a hotel tower with 500 rooms, a theater with a capacity of 3,000 seats, multiple dining options including six restaurants and cafes, a food hall, a two-acre public park, and an extended riverwalk.
This extension postpones the launch of a permanent casino in Chicago, which has raised concerns among operators in nearby Northwest Indiana who see it as a competitive threat. For now, these casinos will only compete with Bally's temporary facility instead of a fully operational resort casino.
Although Bally's ranks as the third-most visited casino in Illinois, its revenue has not kept pace with some of its rivals. The gaming revenue generated by the casino has typically not placed it among the top five in the state, and it has produced lower tax revenue than anticipated, which was intended to support Chicago's police and firefighter pension funds.
In a related development, Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino in East Hazel Crest has gained prominence as a formidable competitor in the Illinois gaming market, achieving the second-highest attendance and gaming revenue in its 18th month of operation.
Additionally, the IGB has granted Full House Resorts an extension to operate its temporary Waukegan casino until February 17, 2029, while construction on its permanent American Place Casino continues.