Video Gambling Hot in Illinois

Four years ago, the State of Illinois decided to allow up to 5 video gambling machines in licensed businesses.

Today, there are some 24,000 such machines across the state. This is the equivalent of roughly 20 casinos; and the money earned is staggering. 2016 is expected to close with $3.67 billion, according to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. This is the ‘hold’, or what is left after paying winners, and represents an increase of 5.6% over last year.

Most machines are placed in nooks and are at best a sideshow, but for business owners, they happen to be the main attraction. However, they refrain from giving overdue importance to them as they are legally into other lines of business. In the Berwyn suburb of Cook County, Michael Anthony’s Pizzeria & Bar was one of the first to take advantage of the new law, and now finds customers walking in and asking for the machines, not pizza or their beer. Nancy DiBiase, who runs the business, says that earnings from the machines helped then to buy a new stand-alone freezer and upgrade their bathrooms.

Initially, they were hesitant. They had concerns over whether it would affect their standing with their patrons, but that hasn’t happened. The video gambling machines also help them tide over lean months like February, when business is slow.

Others like Debbie Hanson are more upfront. She owns Lucky Jack’s Gaming Cafe, which is named after her father, a gambling enthusiast. She has listed gambling as her primary business, and now owns three parlors, each with a separate theme. She also plans to open another in Park City next year. Gamblers like 63-year-old Shirley Winters are regulars; and they staked a massive $12.7 million on just five machines in Waukegan between September 2015 and September 2016. They won $11.7 million. Of the remaining $1 million, the state is entitled to $250,000 and Waukegan $50,000. The remaining $700,000 is split between Gold Rush Gaming, the terminal operator, and Lucky Jack’s Gaming Cafe.

Lenny’s Gas N’ Wash in Mokena earned it $540,160 for the same period. Clearly, video gambling machines translate to big business for small businesses.