CHICAGO — Chicago’s first casino has now cleared a regulatory hurdle.
First reported by Crain’s Chicago Business, the Illinois Gaming Board unanimously approved a full operating license for Bally’s Chicago Casino. The license will be valid at the casino’s temporary home, Medinah Temple, and its future location, River West.
The State’s Gaming Board also approved a 12-month extension for the casino’s temporary site in River North. The extension runs through 2026 for a total of 36 months while the casino’s permanent facility is constructed.
Once finished, the nearly $2 billion location will hug the Chicago River near Halsted and Grand.
In the interim, the Medinah Temple location of Bally’s Casino in Chicago will allow guests to enjoy three levels of gaming with nearly 800 slot machines and 56 table games, as well as a variety of dining options and full-service bars.
The gaming revenue taxes will support the city’s police and fire pension funds and provide more than 700 permanent jobs.
The temporary casino venue opened to the public on Sept. 9. A monthly report released by the state’s Gaming Board found that the city’s casino made nearly $7 million in just over three weeks of operation in September.
