Summary:
- Bally’s has proposed installing slot machine lounges at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports.
- Airport slot lounges could generate about $5 million per terminal, offsetting projected city revenue losses.
- The proposal comes amid a heated debate over Chicago’s decision to legalize video gambling terminals in bars and restaurants.
Bally’s is envisioning a fast-tracked plan to install dedicated slot machine lounges at Chicago’s two major airports. The operator argues the such a move could replace millions of dollars in projected city revenue tied to newly legalized video gambling terminals.
One Lounge Could Generate $5 Million
Speaking before the City Council’s Committee on Workforce Development, Bally’s senior vice president for corporate development Christopher Jewett said each passenger terminal at O’Hare International Airport and each terminal at Midway International Airport could support a separate gaming lounge.
We believe one lounge can generate approximately $5 million in actual gaming and admission taxes, which go directly to the city. This alone can replace the revenue in question.
The proposal is positioned as a response to Chicago’s broader decision to lift its long-standing ban on video gambling terminals, a move expected to generate an estimated $6.8 million for the city’s 2026 budget.
Bally’s claims that airport-based gaming could offer a more stable and faster source of revenue while avoiding delays linked to licensing thousands of new machines across the city.
Wide Debate
However, the plan arrives in the middle of a widening political dispute over gambling expansion in Chicago. The $16.6 billion city budget assumes that most eligible businesses with liquor licenses will eventually install video gambling terminals, though the rollout is expected to take months due to regulatory approvals.
Some city lawmakers have challenged both the revenue assumptions and the broader policy direction. Alderman Anthony Beale argued that Bally’s itself has not acted on previously granted authority to install gaming machines at airports, while questioning how gambling revenues should be allocated within city funds.
Tensions reached new heights during the committee hearing, where disagreements over sweepstakes machines, enforcement authority, and gambling policy led to a heated exchange among officials.
The meeting was ultimately adjourned after sharp criticism was directed at city administrators and disputes over committee jurisdiction.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has also faced resistance from both supporters and opponents of expanded gambling. While allies push forward legalization efforts, others argue it may conflict with Chicago’s existing agreement with Bally’s, which is building a permanent casino complex in the city.
Bally’s has warned that expanding video gambling across Chicago could reduce casino revenues by as much as $74 million annually and put more than a thousand jobs at risk. The company also argues that changes to gambling policy could require renegotiation of its long-term agreement with the city.
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