- Airport slot machines could be on the way to O’Hare and Midway
- Chicago city officials are mulling airport slots to help ease a $1.15 billion budget deficit
- Airport slots in the US are only at Las Vegas and Reno airports
Airport slot machines in the United States are currently limited to Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport and Reno-Tahoe International Airport. A major American city — the third most populated in the nation — wants to join in on the fun.
Seeking to help expunge a $1.15 billion budget shortfall, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson last week proposed introducing a 10.25% on gross revenue won by Illinois online sportsbooks on bets placed within the city’s limits. State lawmakers quickly responded by introducing legislation that would prohibit any local government from taxing, regulating, or licensing sports betting in Illinois.
With the sports betting tax grab unlikely, and Johnson opposed to the liberalization of slot-like video lottery terminals in Chicago, Jill Jaworski, the city’s chief financial officer, surprised many on Tuesday when she said the mayor’s office was considering slot machines at O’Hare and Midway International Airports.
Chicago Airport Slot Machines
The Rebuild Illinois Act of 2019, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker (D), authorized six new land-based casinos, with five in the Chicago suburbs and the sixth in the downtown area. Bally’s emerged as the city’s gaming partner and is underway with the construction of its $2 billion resort property in River West.
The 2019 statute additionally allows for slot machines at the two Chicago airports, so long as the gaming terminals are located “beyond the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints.” Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot opted not to take advantage of airport slots. Johnson might.
“We’ve had a conversation with Bally’s about moving that forward. They have expressed interest,” Jaworski told the City Council.
Many aldermen were delighted to hear the news. Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) said financial projections estimate the city could receive up to $40 million a year from airport slots.
This was a layup. The General Assembly gave us this authority. It’s a shame the previous administration and this administration haven’t acted … instead of nickel-and-diming people,” Villegas said.
As for whether slots being among the first things that welcome travelers to Chicago might tarnish the city’s vibe, Villegas answered, “Absolutely not.”
“This would allow passengers to kill time while they’re waiting to fly out, delayed, or being rerouted,” Villegas continued. “This would allow adults to kill some time, and [the city] to capture some dollars from visitors coming through the city and give Bally’s the ability to promote itself.”
Airport Slot Machines
Chicago airport slot machines are presumably at least a year out, assuming the city moves forward. Only time will tell whether the O’Hare and Midway slots garner the same negative reputation as those found at LAS.
The Las Vegas airport slot machines are often labeled as the tightest in Southern Nevada, preying on boredom, weary travelers, and those arriving in the city who can’t wait to make a bet.
Michael Gaughan, the owner of the South Point Hotel Casino, has held the exclusive slots license at Harry Reid International for more than 40 years. His company, Michael Gaughan Slots, has more than 1,000 slots spread across the LAS terminals.
Most of the airport slot revenue, about 86.5%, goes to Clark County to assist in running the county-owned facility. In 2022, Gaughan announced that revenue from the airport slots surpassed the $1 billion mark over the 36 years that his slots have operated.
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