Rivers Casino:
The Daily Herald reports that Rivers Casino’s revenue leveled off in 2015, indicating that Illinois gambling market has become over-saturated. Though casino expansion has been a hard pressed topic, Tom Swoik, of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association warns that those initiatives are misguided:
‘Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Gaming Association that represents Rivers, said the rising number of video gambling machines in bars and restaurants have competed with the Des Plaines casino…
State Sen. Terry Link, a Vernon Hills Democrat, has advocated for casino expansion. He introduced legislation last session for several new casinos across the state and as many as 1,200 slot machines at Arlington Park.
However, he says the expansion will have to wait for the lawmakers to agree on a state spending plan.
“(Casino expansion) has taken a back seat to the budget,” Link said. “If we ever do get a budget done, that would one of the main things that would be brought through right away.”
Swoik says Rivers Casino’s numbers signal the gambling market is saturated.
“There’s just not going to be that much more new revenue, it’s just basically redistributing what there is now. I think that’s what you’re seeing with Rivers,” he said.”
Daily Herald, “Rivers, Grand Victoria casinos’ revenues level off,” January 15, 2016