The Illinois Gaming Board announced that the state’s 17 land-based casinos generated over $167.5 million in gross gaming revenue in July 2025. This marked a 23.3% rise from the previous year, adding nearly $31.7 million compared to July 2024’s $135.8 million. Slot machines drove most of the earnings, bringing in about $127.6 million. Table games added less than $40 million.
Rivers Casino Des Plaines led with more than $44 million. It was the only venue to top $19 million that month. Wind Creek Chicago Southland followed at $18.8 million. No other casino exceeded $13 million. Most casinos posted yearly gains, except Hollywood Casino Joliet, down 44% to $4.2 million due to a partial closure, and Harrah’s Joliet, down 3% to $10.6 million.
The drop at Hollywood Joliet came as Penn Entertainment shut its riverboat on July 29 after 33 years. It reopened in a new $185 million land-based site nearby. The facility offers 1,000 slots, 43 tables, a high-limit zone, an ESPN Bet sportsbook, a Giada De Laurentiis restaurant, and an events space.
July benefited from two new casinos: Wind Creek Chicago Southland and Fairmount Park. Wind Creek, owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, opened in November 2024 with 1,400 slots, 56 tables, and a sportsbook on 81,000 square feet—the largest in Illinois. Fairmount Park, under Accel Entertainment, added 300 gaming spots at its racetrack.
Future growth looks likely. Boyd Gaming plans to replace its Par-A-Dice riverboat in East Peoria, though location disputes continue. The Gaming Board stresses in-person gambling only and has issued cease-and-desist letters to unlicensed online platforms like Kalshi, Bovada, and BetOnline. A bill to ban online sweepstakes casinos is also pending.
Illinois’ 23.3% jump stands out against national land-based trends. In May 2025, U.S. land-based casino revenue rose just 4% year-over-year to $4.5 billion, while total gaming hit $6.72 billion, up 10.9%, driven by online sectors.
New Jersey’s land-based win grew 6.1% in June to $259 million, but total revenue climbed 18.4% to $581.6 million thanks to 23.5% online growth. Pennsylvania’s total reached $601.8 million in June, which was up 15.4% across land-based casino income.
Michigan’s Detroit land-based casinos earned $107 million in July, up 1% from $106 million in 2024, while its online market boosts overall figures. Nevada, mostly land-based, saw 3.5% growth in June to $1.3 billion.
A quick comparison of year-over-year land-based revenue growth vs online revenue growth is summarized in the table below:
| State | Land-based Revenue Growth (%) | Online Revenue Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 23.3% | N/A |
| New Jersey | 6.1% | 23.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 15.4% | 32.33% |
| Michigan | 1% | 25% |
| Nevada | 3.5% | N/A |
