One small Illinois city, Country Club Hills located in Cook County has become the runner in the race which will secure the sole operational license to construct and operate a luxurious casino that is planned for the state of Illinois. According to one report released several days ago by the Chicago Sun-Times news outlet, one of the smallest communities Cook County has revealed that it will be partnering with Spread Group in hopes of being given the necessary permission to bring its casino and hotel to a two hundred-acre land parcel located along Interstate 80.

The same newspaper also revealed that the mayor for this area, James Ford was initially very reluctant to his community planning to enter this race in the first place. As reported, the major declared in one of his official press releases that the community of Cook County had not planned to enter the race for the possible Cook County license mainly due to the area’s close proximity to Tinley Park.

Cook County Reluctant at First

He said that the community’s administration was somehow forced to re-think the previous decision after the state’s Governor Mr. Pritzker said that they would not be selling state property to the village of Tinley Park for the main purpose of constructing an envisioned racino. It was reported that the Governor’s decision came shortly after the name of one of the individuals involved in the racino plan appeared in several corruption-related federal warrants.

This was the move that had blindsided the majority of local developers and led to a chain of events that led to the County Cook administration deciding to enter the contest for the casino license after being reluctant initially. As soon as the racino plan was completely pulled off the table, the county’s administrative officials decided to join the race. At the moment, the state of Illinois serves as home to ten gaming venues while six more casinos are opening their doors soon in the cities of Rockford, Waukegan, Chicago, and Danville.

When it comes to the race for the latter, the competition is rather strong with several powerful communities that have already joined the race including the communities of Matteson, Calumet City, and Lynwood. In the meantime, the communities of East Hazel Crest and Homewood are planning on partnering with Poarch Band of Creek Indians in hopes to construct and run a $275 million-worth casino and hotel.

Important Community Benefits

Opening a new casino is always seen from a number of different angles. Lately, the US public has certainly been more positive to new casino venues, seeing them as important boosters for local economies, creating new job posts and generally improving the financial situation of areas where they’re located and further.

Thus, it comes as no surprise the competition for new casino locations is a fierce one. Whatever area gets to build a new casino will also get to reap many of the benefits that come with such a project, from the initial construction to actually opening and running the casino. So, it will be interesting to see who ends up building a new casino in Illinois and how things will pan out in the end.

Shortly after the Waukegan’s major stated that the city has an already prepared and ready property for a new commercial casino, the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino’s officials announced that the company has already submitted an application to build and run a casino in this area. More specifically, the company wants to build a commercial casino in Waukegan which is an Illinois city located halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago.

The city of Waukegan is actually the largest city in Lake County in Illinois. It is also a part of the growing Chicago metropolitan region. As stated in 2013, the city had a population of around 88,826 residents which makes it the state of Illinois’ ninth most populous city. Believed by many experts and historians, Waukegan was founded in 1829 named after little fort or fortress.

The city has a great location for a commercial online casino as it located around thirty-five miles of Downtown Chicago and around ten miles of the state’s border. After the city’s major revealed that the city is looking for potential gambling facility developers, many responses were submitted in just several days and one response came from Potawatomi Hotel and Casino.

A Native American Casino in Wisconsin

Potawatomi Hotel and Casino formerly known as Potawatomi Bingo Casino is one of the leading Native American gambling facilities in Wisconsin. The facility opened its doors in 1991, which makes it one of the longer-lasting facilities of this kind. Its flagship facility is located near Downtown Milwaukee in the Menomonee Valley.

In addition to being a luxurious hotel, this is also a massive entertainment facility which offers a variety of options such as a massive, twelve-table poker room, dining and restaurant options, and a massive food court with small restaurants. There is also a theater and lodge included which combine dining and entertainment. When it comes to its casino facility, it underwent a great expansion in summer 2008.

At the time, the casino expanding its number of table games to sixty and its number of slot machines to over three thousand. Back in May two years ago, the casino and hotel’s owner Forest County Potawatomi announced that the facility will be expanded to include more hotel rooms and suites in addition to big meeting space and spa. As of now, Potawatomi Hotel and Casino has one of the biggest gaming floors in the entire country including a massive bingo hall that can accommodate more than two thousand players.

Looking Forward to Expanding

Since its establishment in 1991, Potawatomi Hotel and Casino is looking forward to expanding in some other state. Considering the fact that Waukegan is currently in search of a developer to build a first-class entertainment facility, the facility’s officials believe that this is an amazing opportunity to fulfill their long-term goal. Having a great reputation in its gaming market and having successfully operated for several decades, this facility is a great fit for the Waukegan’s upcoming project.

Building a new commercial casino in the state is possible thanks to the state’s Governor Mr. Pritzker signing a newly proposed bill related to new casinos into law on the 28^th of June. This bill among other things allowed the state’s gambling industry expansion with new gaming licenses for several cities in the state including Waukegan, Chicago, and Rockford.

Illinois is finally gearing up for its biggest gambling market expansion in recent years. Following the news, all of the state’s major gambling operators have already started accessing their new opportunities for business growth in the state’s ever-growing gambling market. Moreover, all sorts of Las Vegas machine manufacturers are also looking forward to scooping their piece of cake.

At the beginning of this month, the Illinois Legislature finally passed a gambling reform which allows the addition of six new land-based gambling venues including one new land-based casino located in Chicago. This recently passed gambling reform also regulates sportsbetting activities as well as allow the addition of new slot machines at Chicago Midway International and O’Hare International airports.

Furthermore, the reform also allows the addition of more gambling machines at taverns and bars among other places. However, this new legislation piece has to be signed by the state’s Governor J.B. Pritzker. This will probably happen soon considering the fact that the state’s officials have been very supportive of the possible gambling expansion. In other words, the state’s officials believe that the state’s Governor will sign the legislature.

30,000 Additional Video Gaming and Slot Machines in Illinois

As soon as this piece of legislation is signed by the Governor, the state of Illinois will allow more than 30,000 additional video gaming and slot machines to be placed in a number of land-based gambling facilities, bars, taverns, airports, casinos and other. While many gambling operators working within the state’s border are extremely delighted with the news about this gambling expansion, many industry’s experts believe that not all of these newly available positions for slot machines and video gaming terminals will be actually filled.

Experts also agree that this upcoming Illinois gambling reform is more likely to add between 15,000 up to 20,000 new slot machines and video gaming machines across the state. Following this news, Barry Jones who is the SunTrust analyst said that 30,000 slots and video gaming machines could be added within the state’s facilities only if new land-based casino venues get built. In his official statement, Jones also said that he estimated that these new gaming machines could potentially generate up to $224 million in earning if all newly available positions are filled which according to him is not likely to happen.

All Top Manufacturers Closely Following the Expansion

There is no surprise in the fact that all of the top slot machines and video gaming terminals manufacturers are closely following the state’s most recent gambling reform. Following the news, Derik Mooberry who is the Scientific Games Group Chief Executive and Executive Vice President said that all of the most prominent, Las Vegas-based manufacturers are delighted to see this approved bill active as it provides loads of opportunities for each one of them.

Derik Mooberry in his official statement for Las Vegas Review Journal also said that Scientific Games as one of the leading slot machines and video gaming terminal supplier in the entire state’s market will take part in all Illinois gambling market expansion alongside other top manufacturers. Another company which plans on taking part in all aspects of this upcoming gambling expansion is IGT whose Vice President Paul O’Shaughnessy said that his company sees this latest gambling reform as an amazing opportunity to install their slot machine at the state’s airports and among other crowded facilities.

Sportsbetting legalization process in Illinois has recently taken a turn when a new primary sponsor, Michael Zalewski included two amendments which could result in a 25% tax rate for some licensed operators. The Illinois gaming industry has openly declared against these amendments which could leave them with no options but to lower the odds, and in the end, forcing customers to other states.

Newly Added Amendments

Just recently, Michael Zalewski has become a new primary sponsor of House Bill 1260. As mentioned previously, at the start, he decided to add two amendments which could bring some major changes.

According to the first amendment, gambling operations which include riverboat casinos, lottery, video gaming, and horseracing establishments as well as an off-track betting parlor, in order to apply for a sports betting license will have to pay $10 million. 5% of their net terminal income, adjusted gross receipts (AGR) or total handle should also be passed along, depending on the greater accumulated amount.

Due to the amendment, all ten licensed riverboat casinos in Illinois need to pay $5 million to be given permission for running one of the following options: online sports betting or land-based sportsbook. Regardless of which one, operations come attached with a 25% tax rate on adjusted sports receipts.

When it comes to licensed video gaming, for an application, according to new legislative proposals, operators will have to limit sportsbook to 10% of their facilities and pay an equal amount for an online license. Lotteries, on the other hand, are left with parlay betting that takes place at 2500 retail locations; however, it comes with a $300 million fee, along with a tax rate of 100% on betting receipts.

As previously noted, the first amendment refers to horseracing tracks as well, permitting either online sports betting license or sportsbook on three off-track betting locations which have authorization.

With the second amendment enforced, previously-proven sports betting operators like FanDuel Group and DraftKings Incorporated will be paying $20 million for being granted one license from three remote options. In addition, each license owner will supposedly have to give 25% of AGR to Common School Fund, the State Construction Account Fund, and to Pension Stabilization Fund as well as include a 0.2 integrity fee payment to a locally-established sports league.

The first seven applicants (horse tracks, riverboats, and video gaming) for seven brick-and-mortar licenses will come with $15 million payment. Due to the second amendment, Horseracing operators are also due to pay 2% of AGR to the Horse Racing Purse Fund.

A clause that states about illegitimate gambling operations, was included as well, and in such cases, granting a license is forbidden within a three-year time frame.

Conditions in Other States

Tom Swoik from the Illinois Casino Gaming Association has recently spoken about sports betting legislation in other states. While doing so, he used Iowa and Indiana as an example. In Iowa, the tax rate for sports betting was set at 7.5% which is significantly smaller than Illinois proposals. Indiana, on the other hand, reached a 9.5% rate, along with license fees that go as high as $100,000. He further elaborated that the goal is not to have legislation that matches these states; however, having to pay three or even for times more; it’s just too much. In the end, it’ll just force them to lower the odds.