Photo by PICRYL, PDM 1.0
Bally’s is servicing casino gamblers at the temporary casino thanks to its temporary gaming license, which was already extended once.
The new bill was presented by Rep. Kam Buckner (D), whose 26th District includes part of Chicago. The bill calls for a minimum six-month extension to Bally’s temporary license, with the opportunity to trigger two additional three-month extensions.
The casino company shared a statement with WGN-TV acknowledging the introduction of the proposal.
“This action provides operational certainty and allows Bally’s Chicago to remain fully compliant with its Host Community Agreement with the City of Chicago, ensuring uninterrupted service for guests, continued employment for team members, and ongoing economic contributions to the City,” said Christopher Jewett, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Bally’s Corporation. “We appreciate the partnership with City leaders and the General Assembly. This proposed legislation allows us to continue operating responsibly while we advance our permanent facility and deliver on the long-term commitments to Chicago.”
Illinois’ laws allow a temporary casino to operate for a maximum of 24 months with one additional 12-month extension.
Bally’s temporary casino opened in Sept. 2023, meaning that it will reach the 36-month maximum before the end of the year.
Bally’s temporary facility inside the historic Medinah Temple has become a popular visiting spot for customers, although not to the extent that Chicago had hoped.
Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) budgeted $35 million in projected tax revenue for the temporary casino. However, the facility only produced $16.1 million in 2024 and $15.9 million from its River North location.
The delay in Bally’s permanent development was due to several unforeseen circumstances.
In December 2024, a demolition crew caused debris to spill into the Chicago River, and half a year later, the Illinois Gaming Board paused construction after it was found that developers used a waste management company with ties to organized crime.
Despite those setbacks, the casino is focused on delivering what it promised to the state.
“Bally’s Chicago remains fully committed to the construction of its permanent casino and entertainment destination and will continue operating at Medinah Temple in accordance with all regulatory requirements during the extension period,” Bally’s said in its statement. The adjusted timeline allows for Bally’s Chicago to operate the temporary casino inside of Medinah Temple through September 2027, if needed.”
The full-fledged facility is a $1.6 billion undertaking that will develop a 30-acre site in the River West neighborhood in Chicago. Plans include a full casino and gaming floor, a hotel, and an entertainment complex that will redefine the area.
The project was made possible by the Rebuild Illinois Act of 2019, which greenlighted a maximum of six new land-based casinos across the state. That included Bally’s Chicago, as well as Hollywood Casino Aurora, which will move from its riverboat location to a land-based home, and Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria, a $100 million project that could soon begin construction.
Tsogo Sun reduced its City Lodge holding after an October 2025 sale, recording a R30m loss and signalling a tighter focus on core assets.
Playtech shares have continued to trade above their 50-day moving average following a volatile start to the year. While recent price action shows the stock remains down over the past month, holding this technical level may indicate easing selling pressure and a more stable near-term outlook.
Officials aim to regulate private betting with uniform operator standards, applying to online sportsbooks and casinos under a new framework.
UK operator PricedUp has signed a new content agreement with Gaming Corps, expanding its online casino portfolio with additional slots and crash-style titles.
The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is changing iGaming at pace. But as operators race to deploy AI tools, new risks are emerging around fraud, compliance and player protection that regulators are now watching closely.
The casino is described as a first-of-its-kind gaming experience for casino customers with a passion for hip-hop and music culture.
The Betting and Gaming Council has issued a statement following confirmation that Rank Group CEO John O’Reilly will step down from his role. The response reflects on his leadership and wider contribution to the UK’s regulated gambling sector.
Entain has strengthened its German iGaming offering after announcing a new content partnership with Swintt. The agreement adds further regulated slot titles to Entain’s local portfolio as operators compete for visibility in one of Europe’s most tightly controlled online markets.
In Warsaw, SoftSwiss CMO Valentina Bagna and Clarion’s Robin Harrison respond to a series of bold iGaming statements. Their discussion covers marketing, branding, the value of industry journalism, market expansion strategy, the role of reports, and whether awards deliver real commercial impact.
The 2027 expiring gambling concessions covering Win2day’s online and land-based casino permits demand early tender starts to meet deadlines.
Milton Champion, the Maine Gambling Control Unit executive director, presented a bill that would ban all unlicensed gaming platforms.
Following Da Nang talks, developers commit $1 billion to Phase II, featuring 1,000+ 5-star rooms, 198 villas, a family zone, and a golf academy.
Authorities have shut down nine illegal poker venues across Auckland, seizing cash and crypto as regulators warn of predatory operators.
Vertical merging is gaining momentum across iGaming as operators look to integrate technology, content and operations to remain competitive.
The casino-branded arena is just about 10 miles away in Saint Paul from where a local resident was shot and killed by an ICE officer.
Merck is in talks to purchase cancer-drug company Revolution Medicines.
HB 161 would allow online casino skins to receive five-year operational licenses, available for $500,000 upfront and $250,000 for every renewal.
Sen. Clay Yarborough (R-Nassau) is hoping to remove the controversial DEI policies from the state’s gaming framework during the 2026 legislative session.
The incident, which occurred around 9:00 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, ended with the woman crashing into several trees.
The Grand Ho Tram began welcoming Vietnamese players under government approval, becoming Vietnam’s second casino that locals can access.
Seth Maybee of South Lake Tahoe, California, called Harrah’s Casino in Stateline, Nevada, informing them of his plans to release a bomb on their facility.
Germany’s regulated gambling market moves into 2026 with major legal rulings and regulatory decisions expected to shape its future direction.
Rank Group shares fell after the company confirmed a £6.2m payment fraud affecting its Spanish operations and launched an investigation.
The UK Gambling Commission’s updated bonus and promotion rules are now taking effect, aiming to simplify offers and reduce the risk of consumer harm.
NetEnt has revealed details of its upcoming Monopoly Money Line slot, which introduces grid-based mechanics and bonus features inspired by the Monopoly franchise.
ICE Barcelona 2026 will mark the industry’s first major iGaming event of the year, with new features, expanded zones and a stronger focus on regulation and innovation.
Betway’s UK casino welcome offer for January 2026 is giving new customers access to 150 free spins after a £10 stake.
Gambling firms have spent close to £5m advertising across Transport for London since a pledge to restrict such promotions was announced, raising questions over timing.
Campaigners and MPs are renewing calls for stricter gambling advertising rules, arguing current UK regulations do not sufficiently protect vulnerable audiences.
Macau’s 2025 visitors hit 40.06M, exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 654k with 14.7% annual growth, thanks to the year-end travel surge.
The poll also found that “Many Mainers” indicated they would consider the issue central to their voting decision during the next election.
SkyCity has confirmed a multi-year partnership with all five New Zealand Super Rugby clubs, strengthening its nationwide presence in professional rugby.
Drake and Adin Ross were “zealous promoters” of Stake.com and Stake.us, the American sweepstakes casino version of the crypto-based platform.
