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The Oct. 28, 2020, deadline for four new Illinois casino license decisions has come and gone. And none were handed out at Thursday’s special Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) meeting.

Instead, eight applicants will amend their license applications. Those are:

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Almost exactly one year ago, Pritzker signed a law that massively expands gambling in Illinois, by authorizing six new casinos (including in Chicago, the south suburbs and Waukegan), permitting race tracks to add casinos, and allowing video gaming parlors and trucks stops to add video gaming positions.

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815 Entertainment, LLC d/b/a Hard Rock Casino Rockford (Rockford License)
CDI-RSG Waukegan, LLC d/b/a Rivers Waukegan Casino (Waukegan License)
Full House Resorts, Inc. d/b/a American Place (Waukegan License)
Lakeside Casino, LLC d/b/a North Point Casino (Waukegan License)
Southland LIVE, LLC d/b/a Southland Live (South Suburban License)
South Suburban Development, LLC (South Suburban License)
Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort, LLC (Williamson County License)
Wind Creek, LLC (South Suburban License)

A Danville license is also up for grabs, but Haven Gamingwithdrew its application in July. The Wilmot family now holds principal interest but has yet to submit its materials to the IGB.

By law, the IGB has a year to rule on a casino application from the date it receives one. But if it doesn’t meet that deadline, it can hold a special public meeting or give a written explanation for an extension.

IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter said on Oct. 27 that the board provided a written explanation for the delay to pending applicants.

He also said that the Rockford, Williamson County, Waukegan and South Suburban applicants could reasonably expect to have a decision within six months, which would set the new deadline at the end of April 2021.

The 2019 Illinois Gambling Actgreen-lit six new casinos in Illinois. The sixth, which will be located in Chicago, is moving even slower than the others.

Frustration mounting among casino applicants prior to IGB meeting

There were plenty of rumblings before the special meeting about applicants’ frustration with the slow-moving process.

In August, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, and Kristi DeLaurentiis, executive director of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, wrote a letter to the IGB urging them to speed up the process.

“We respectfully remind you that this south suburban license is long overdue and a decision delayed is a decision denied,” DeLuca and DeLaurentiis wrote. “COVID-19 cannot be allowed to serve as a reason for inaction. The deadline as set forth in the statute is approaching and the future of nearly a million residents rests in your hands.”

In a September board meeting, Fruchter appeared to point the finger back at the applicants, saying the following:

“The staff’s already substantial work is made more complicated when applicants and existing licensees neglect to provide timely, complete answers, documents and disclosures or responses to any other board requests. Most make timely and accurate disclosures, but the ones that don’t gum up the works for everyone.”

Illinois has 10 operating casinos

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At the moment, Illinois has 10 open casinos. They are:

Argosy Casino Alton
DraftKings at Casino Queen
Grand Victoria Casino Elgin
Harrah’s Joliet
Harrah’s Metropolis
Hollywood Casino Aurora
Hollywood Casino Joliet
Jumer’s Casino & Hotel
Par-A-Dice Casino
Rivers Casino

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That list will grow at some point, but key stakeholders can’t be thrilled with the 2019 bill’s implementation thus far.

Chicago will benefit from Illinois’ planned gambling expansion through the building of a new casino.

The city holds just over 2.7 million people and is a bustling tourist and convention destination.

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The Illinois Senate recently approved a gambling expansion, which will also legalise sports wagering within the Prairie State, and Chicago will be the recipient of one of the state's six new casinos.

The controversial legislation is expected to be signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker; it includes a $10m sports betting license fee and a bad-actor clause which will keep the likes of DraftKings and FanDuel out of the market for at least 18 months.

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However, one outstanding positive is the new casino to be built in Chicago, with a new gambling establishment in one of the US’ largest cities being a relative rarity.