Latest articles
Shrinking Small Business VGT Revenue Means Bad News for IL iGaming Legalization Chances
Illinois has over 45,000 video gaming terminals (VGTs), far more than any other state. The machines are in over 8,200 locations, including restaurants, bars, truck stops, and other small businesses. And while VGT revenue is growing, so is the number of sites. That is oversaturating the market and causing many locations to start seeing a […]
Bally’s Is Up and Running in Chicago With Temporary Location at Medinah Temple
Downtown Chicago has finally welcomed Bally’s as its first legal brick-and-mortar casino. On Sep. 9, following an inspection by the Illinois Gaming Board and a two-day test run, Bally’s Chicago opened the doors of its temporary location to a line of excited players. Despite earlier expectations of 24/7 gambling, the temporary location will be closed […]
Illinois Gaming Board Backtracks on Licensing of Mob-Connected Man
The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) plans to revoke the gambling license of a man with mob ties after a Chicago Sun-Times (CST) investigation published in May revealed the connection. When Bonus last covered Jeffrey Bertucci, we asked how a man with mob ties could receive a gambling license. While we suspected politics played a role, […]
Felony Convictions No Longer a Barrier to Non-Gaming Casino Jobs in Illinois
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a law giving former convicts better employment prospects by allowing the state’s casinos to hire them for non-gaming roles. The new law received support from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) and Unite Here Local 1 hospitality union. Local 1 represents about 15,000 hospitality workers across Illinois and northern Indiana. In […]
Betway Is the Sole Applicant for Illinois’ Online-Only Sports License
Betway is the sole applicant and winner of an Illinois online-only sports betting license. During the July 27 Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) meeting, IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter pointed out that identifying Betway as a winning bidder does not grant the operator a license. The IGB added that there was another bidder, which withdrew its application […]
Why Do Operators of Video Gaming Terminals Have Such Influence in Illinois?
Video gaming terminals (VGTs) are a major industry in Illinois and influence much of what’s happening with gambling in the state. Illinois has about 45,000 terminals, far more than any other state. The terminals are located in about 8,200 locations, which include restaurants, bars, and truck stops. VGTs are similar to casino slots, but available […]
Bally’s Chicago Granted Preliminary Suitability by Illinois Gaming Board
Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has deemed Bally’s application for its future Chicago casino “preliminarily suitable.” The board voted 4-0 in favor of the plan’s suitability, allowing Bally’s to focus on the remaining regulatory requirements. At the same meeting, the company secured a license extension for its existing property in the state, Bally’s Quad Cities. Several […]
Illinois Sweepstakes Gambling Manager Convicted of Wire Fraud & Bribery
A federal jury in Chicago has found James T. Weiss guilty on multiple counts of fraud, bribery, and making false statements to the FBI. Weiss is the manager of Collage LLC, a company manufacturing retail gaming devices, which it claims are a form of sweepstakes, legal under federal law. The charges against him stem from accusations that he […]
Illinois Passes Bill Allowing Casinos to Hire People with Felony Convictions
The Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill allowing casinos to hire people with felony convictions. If it becomes law, Senate Bill 1462, introduced by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), will significantly expand Illinois’ hospitality labor pool as new casinos prepare to open. After passing the Senate in March with a 44-12 vote, the bill […]
Illinois Gaming Board Grants a Mob-Related Man a Gaming License
Here’s a question for the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB). How can a man connected to organized crime be granted a gaming license? At first glance, there is nothing unusual about Jeffrey Bertucci, who operates six video gaming terminals (VGTs) in his Steak ‘N Egger franchise in Cicero, Ill. However, records show that in testimony, Bertucci […]
