The "headliner" was worth the wait in Rockford, as Hard Rock's new casino in northern Illinois generated $13.7 million in adjusted gross revenue in its first full month, according to September figures released by the state's gaming board Tuesday.
Hard Rock opened Aug. 29, having previously operated a temporary casino called the "Opening Act" since November 2021. The $350 million permanent venue is located on I-90, approximately 90 miles northwest of Chicago and 70 miles south of Madison, Wisconsin.
Hard Rock Casino Rockford will eventually face local competition from Ho-Chunk Nation, which is scheduled to break ground on its casino located over the state line in Beloit, 20 miles to the north, later this month and plans to open in 2026.
The state's 15 casinos — 13 permanent venues and two temporary ones — combined for close to $139 million in AGR. That is an increase of 5.2% from last year, which included the opening month of business for Bally's temporary casino in downtown Chicago.
The state collected $32.7 million in taxes from casino revenue, while local communities saw an inflow of $7.9 million into their coffers.
Plenty of Hype, Excitement in Opening Month
The longstanding presence of the Opening Act helped draw patrons to the new casino, as Hard Rock Casino Rockford's 157,200 admissions accounted for 13.8% of the state's 1.1 million-plus total admissions and ranked second behind Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.
When Hard Rock operated its temporary casino, more than 95% of its $181.3 million revenue originated from slots and electronic gaming devices (EGD). That ratio remained roughly the same for Hard Rock's first month of operations, as it established an immediate presence among the state's leaders for slots/EGD play.
The $12.7 million in revenue from that gaming vertical represented 92.7% of its total winnings and ranked second to Rivers. Hard Rock was also one of eight casinos to reach seven figures in table games revenue at just over $1 million. It averaged $87.29 overall per admission, which was well below the September state average of $121.89, but its $80.88 in winnings per admission for slots was closer to the $93.88 state average.
Hard Rock remitted $3 million to the state in taxes and an additional $843,000 in receipts to Rockford and the surrounding area.
Bally's Remains Strong No. 2 for Table Games Revenue
Bally's began its second year of operations at Medinah Temple in the River North neighborhood of Chicago with $10.3 million in revenue. While that was a 54.4% increase from last year, it was not a like-for-like comparison, as the venue was open for 24 days in September 2023.
September's revenue was down 3.8% from the $10.7 million claimed in August, with the $4 million in table games winnings down 1.4% and the $6.6 million in slots/EGD revenue down 5.3%. Bally's still was a strong No. 2 for table games revenue, as it was the only casino aside from Rivers to surpass $2 million in winnings.
Bally's remitted close to $1.6 million in taxes to the city of Chicago for September, lifting the year-to-date total to $11.3 million. The $1.25 million in taxes per month remitted to the city projects to $15.1 million for the full year.
While that total could eventually be higher based on the progressive tax rates for casino revenue, it will still be well short of the $35 million Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson projected in his 2024 budget for the city.
It's Rivers…and a Long Gap to Second
Rivers, meanwhile, continues to be the bell cow for casino revenue in Illinois.
The venue on the outskirts of Chicago by O'Hare International Airport accounted for nearly 30% of all operator revenue in September with $41.5 million. That figure was practically flat compared to last year with an increase of $56,200, as the gains in table games revenue to $14.9 million slightly outpaced the small decline in slots/EGD winnings to $26.6 million.
The $1.24 billion in total casino AGR statewide for the first nine months of the year is up 10.9% compared to the same period in 2023. This is not a true like-for-like comparison, as Bally's Chicago, Golden Nugget Danville and Walker's Bluff in Williamson County were all in their first year of operations. The three venues being open for all of 2024 has contributed to a 17.4% rise in admissions to more than 9.4 million, but the average revenue generated per admission has dipped to $131.69 compared to $139.42 for the first nine months of 2023.
The $302.4 million in table games revenue for 2024 is up 12.4%, while the $940.1 million in slot/EGD winnings represents a 10.9% jump. The state has claimed $231.2 million in tax revenue, an increase of nearly $14.6 million compared to last year. Local tax remittances, though, have surged $12.8 million to $77.1 million, with most of that originating from Bally's.
