The Illinois Gaming Board just announced the casino revenue totals for the month of April, and the numbers were extremely disappointing for leaders of the state. There are currently 15 casinos in the Land of Lincoln, but there was a massive dip in action during the month of April.
The total revenue for the month was still $136.6 million, but that was more than 10% less than what came in during the month of March. This is not a problem that only Illinois casinos face as the rest of the country has seen some underwhelming numbers as well.
There are a number of reasons that gaming numbers fall during the month of April, and player fatigue is typically one of them. March is always a huge month with bettors, especially sports, and players tend to take time during April to regroup.
Illinois was able to bring in $31 million in state and local taxes from the casino revenue, but lawmakers are looking for a way to bring in more revenue. Lawmakers are currently exploring bills to legalize online casino gaming, but that industry is still not close to being legalized.
14 of the 15 casinos in Illinois saw a decrease in revenue from March, and that might help convince those properties to support online options.
Harrah’s Metropolis Casino Sees Increase
Harrah’s Metropolis Casino was the only property in the state that saw their revenue increase from the month of March, but it was not a significant increase. That is not a property in Illinois that ever does a ton of action.
Rivers Casino continues to be the most popular venue in the state as it posted a total revenue of $42 million during the month of April. It doesn’t really have a rival when it comes to casino numbers in this state, but others are trying to close the gap.
Harrah’s Joliet Casino & Hotel was hit extremely hard by a decrease in action in March as there was a 15% decrease in revenue. The Grand Victoria Casino posted more than $12 million in revenue for the month of April, but it still posted a double-digit decrease.
These properties are expected to see more action during the summer months, but lawmakers in this state clearly want more.
A Look at the Bill
The Illinois Internet Gaming Act is a bill that was introduced in the House and it seeks to legalize online casino gaming. Illinois is already a top-three online sports betting market, and these online casinos would have just as much success.
There will likely be some changes made to the bill before it ever becomes a law, but it would currently allow each casino to partner with three online casino companies. Illinois lawmakers would also aim to create an attractive market for companies with a tax rate of just 15%.
Based on early projections, Illinois could actually become the top online casino industry in the country, and it wouldn’t take long for that to be the case. Currently, Pennsylvania is holding on to that title, but Illinois could create a similar market.
