Bally’s Chicago Casino off to storming start three weeks after opening and reveals $15m target

Article by : Charles Perrin Oct 9, 2023

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According to official figures released by the Illinois Gaming Board, Bally’s Chicago Casino has made a rip-roaring start just three weeks after opening.

Having launched on September 9, Bally’s Chicago has seen over 80,000 gamblers pass through its turnstiles at this vibrant gaming venue.

This casino made nearly $ 7 million in profit in its first few weeks of operation. Still, it’s important to point out that the casino at Medinah Temple will be a temporary establishment until 2026.

That said, according to financial projections, Bally’s Chicago is targeting revenues of between $15m-$25m this year.

Bally’s has turned heads and has already become the second-busiest casino in Chicago, with only Rivers Casino in Des Plaines attracting more visitors during September (260,000). Moreover, the temporary site contains 800 slot machines and 56 table games.

To underline Rivers Casino’s success in Chicago, it also recorded profits of $14.5m last month.

Bally’s, which also has a casino in Rock Island, has become more of a visible presence across the US, and it paid almost $1.6m in taxes on its new site.

Putting things into a broader perspective, Bally’s has big plans for the future regarding its Chicago casino.

As of 2026, it intends to have in place a permanent casino, which will be set in River West by Tribune Publishing’s Freedom Center printing plant.

Although there are a few kinks in the operation, Bally’s chairman, Soo Kim, admitted at the soft launch that the casino wants to be an establishment that the community can be proud of.

He said: “We’re here to keep our promises to the community. It’s just the first step of the longer journey to build the whole [permanent] casino.”

The early signs certainly make for promising reading, and Bally’s is a recognisable gambling brand held in high esteem.

But if it can continue to build on the promising start that it has made, then Bally’s could have a transformative impact on the Chicago gaming scene in the long term.