Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC by 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
Hollywood Aurora coming to Illinois
PENN’s new land-based casino property is still awaiting regulatory approval from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB).
Assuming approval is granted, the facility will be the gaming giant’s second to open in the Chicagoland region within the last year. The other is Hollywood Casino Joliet, which opened in Aug. 2025.
“We are now months away from opening another premium entertainment destination in the greater Chicago region,” said PENN CEO and president Jay Snowden. “We are thrilled to follow the successful rollout of Hollywood Casino Joliet last summer with another new land-based property, strengthening our overall retail portfolio in the Midwest and deepening our roots in the community.”
The new facility will sit opposite Chicago Premium Outlets, a prominent shopping center in Aurora near Interstate-88. It will include a luxury hotel, more than 1,200 gaming stations, slot machines, live-dealer table games, and a retail sportsbook. Other amenities include a spa, bars and restaurants, an event center, an outdoor entertainment area, and about 1,700 parking spaces.
PENN expects to hire 700 employees when the casino opens, nearly doubling its current staff in the area.
Making a dent in the Illinois market
In addition to the soon-opening casino, PENN owns and operates two Illinois land-based casinos: Hollywood Casino Joliet and Argosy Casino Alton. Those and its riverboat property combined to generate $239.8 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2025, which represented 12.3 percent of the state’s $1.94 billion in GGR.
While that marks a significant chunk of the 17-casino Illinois gaming market, it is still well off the leader, Rivers Casino Des Moines, which posted $503.1 million in GGR.
Hollywood Joliet and Hollywood Aurora ranked eighth and ninth in the state’s individual casino market with totals of $102.9 million and $101.7 million, respectively.
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc., which owns the land used to build Hollywood Casino Aurora, contributed $225 million of the $360 million to build the new property. The city of Aurora added another $21 million, leaving $114 million in outstanding costs to be covered by PENN.
While the IGB said that it will help transition the riverboat casino's business to the brick-and-mortar location as the opening date approaches, the floating facility will continue normal business operations until further notice.
Related News
Flutter Plans Up to 1,400 Job Cuts After UK Tax Rises
Flutter has announced plans to cut up to 1,400 jobs across its UK and Ireland operations, blaming higher gambling taxes for the restructuring.
.jpg)
Ninety Labour MPs push Machine Games Duty rise as BGC fights back
Ninety Labour MPs have urged the Chancellor to increase Machine Games Duty on Category B machines, prompting a sharp response from the Betting and Gaming Council before next week’s Budget.
Comoros seeks UK help over disputed Anjouan gambling licences
Comoros has challenged the authority behind Anjouan’s offshore licensing regime, raising questions about its credentials. For British players, however, the requirement for a Gambling Commission licence remains unchanged.
Brazil Betting Ban May Send R$25B to Unlicensed Operators
A new IBIA briefing estimates Brazil's betting ban could drive about R$25 billion in yearly wagering to unlicensed operators, hurting player protection.
AFL Orders Sportsbet to Remove AI-Generated Player Videos
Sportsbet has removed AI-generated videos featuring AFL players after concerns were raised about consent and commercial image rights. The dispute comes as Australia prepares for tighter gambling advertising restrictions.
iGaming Ontario Withheld Its Own Problem Gambling Study
Records obtained by the Toronto Star show iGaming Ontario kept a pre-launch problem gambling study private after it found higher-than-expected rates.
BetMGM, Connor McDavid Renew Responsible Gaming Partnership
McDavid’s promotion of these tools in a Dec. 2025 “Mullet Over” campaign contributed to a 27% year-over-year increase in accounts with deposit limits.
Casino Tycoon Donated $25 Million to Trump’s Ballroom
While it might be life-changing money to some, Adelson donated a ho-hum $25 million to Trump’s ballroom project through the Adelson Family Foundation.
Springfield Wants to Go Public with MGM Casino Dispute
The dispute relates to Springfield’s claims that MGM did not fulfill the obligations it promised when it opened the property in 2018.
Alberta's Legal iGaming Market Hits 50 Sites After Deadline
Gray-market giants Super Group, Apollo and Stake have gone legal in Alberta, pushing the regulated iGaming market from 22 sites at launch to 50.
MGD hike threat exposes divisions across gambling’s high street
A threatened doubling of machine games duty has prompted warnings of widespread closures. But disagreements over bookmakers and arcades could weaken the industry’s response.
Bet365 operators lose appeal against SEK44m Swedish penalties
Two companies operating Bet365 in Sweden have lost their appeals against warnings and combined penalties of SEK44 million for player protection failures.
France’s €11.5bn sports betting market draws ANJ scrutiny
France’s online sports betting market generated €11.5bn in stakes in 2025, but new ANJ analysis raises questions about the players driving certain betting markets.
YouTuber Fooled by Crypto Casino Who Paid Him to Be Quiet
Doherty evidently agreed to a deal without the company without realizing they intended to enforce their stipulations, which prevent him from posting online.
U.S. Feds Sanction Mexican Cartel Casino-Linked Racetrack
The Treasury Department claimed that Club La Molienda operated a betting ring in collaboration with Casino Centenario, a casino in Nuevo Laredo.
PAGCOR Expects Casino Filipino Exit Ruling This Month
PAGCOR CEO Alejandro Tengco says a GCG recommendation on decoupling Casino Filipino will arrive in October, with losses expected at ₱7 billion ($112 million).
New Zealand Names 11 Successful Online Casino Auction Bidders
New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs has named 11 successful online casino auction participants who secured the right to apply for 15 licences. The auction concluded on 12 October 2026, with the final price reaching NZ$15 million per licence.
Brazil Betting Ban Faces Pushback With 99 Amendments
Lawmakers filed 99 amendments to Brazil's betting ban, and Centrão members plan to push a sports betting carve-out after the Oct. 25 presidential runoff.
Peru Weighs 5% Betting Tax as Chile Tests Offshore VAT
A Peruvian bill would quintuple the betting consumption tax to 5%, while Chile's first quarterly VAT payments from offshore platforms fall due this month.
Alberta iGaming Deadline: Stake In, PokerStars and 888 Out
Alberta's Oct. 13 deadline for gray-market operators has arrived. Stake secured a license, while PokerStars and 888 are cutting off Alberta poker players.
Brazil Betting Ban Wipes Out 74% of Licensed Site Traffic
Brazil's betting ban drove licensed site traffic 74% below normal in a week, while offshore searches held steady and over 3,500 workers lost their jobs.
Maarten Haijer to lead new World Gaming and Betting Alliance
Maarten Haijer has been appointed director general of the World Gaming and Betting Alliance, a new industry body aiming to influence gambling policy worldwide.
National Lottery must lead on player protection, says Sarah Gardner
Sarah Gardner has warned that the National Lottery’s comparatively low gambling risk does not remove the need for strong player protections, with public trust central to its future.
Betano confirmed as Euro 2028 sponsor for UK and Ireland tournament
Betano has been named an official sponsor of Euro 2028, bringing Kaizen Gaming’s expanding football sponsorship strategy to the tournament hosted across the UK and Ireland.
.jpg)
Prize Competition Council appoints Tom Banks as membership grows
The Prize Competition Council has appointed former FDJ United executive Tom Banks as its first executive director, as the UK trade body grows from eight founding members to 65.
New South Wales Cracks Down on Pokies Venues Breaching Shutdown Rules
Liquor & Gaming NSW has fined two venues and issued further regulatory action following inspections targeting compliance with mandatory poker machine shutdown hours.
Betfred turnover nears £1bn as online closes gap on shops
Betfred’s online business now accounts for 45% of group turnover, narrowing the gap with its shops as the bookmaker faces rising costs and gambling tax changes.
New York Votes to Ban AI-Tailored Betting Promotions
Both proposals are now up for a 60-day public comment period, after which they may return to the Commission for a final decisive vote.
Mavericks Won’t Get Casino in New NBA Arena in Dallas
That’s despite owner and Dumont’s mother-in-law Dr. Miriam Adelson’s funding of lobbying efforts to legalize casino-style gambling in Texas.
Indiana Congressman Warns of Casinos Ahead of Ballot
While three counties are set to vote on potentially hosting a casino, only one will land the facility — assuming any of them achieve the simple majority.
Stake Secures Alberta iGaming License, Plans Oct. 12 Launch
Stake Canada plans to launch its online casino and sportsbook in Alberta on Oct. 12, a day before AGLC's grace period for unregistered operators ends.
Stake Reprieve, Fux Delay Talk Reshape Brazil Betting Ban
A judge lets Stake resume, Justice Fux may wait until after the runoff, and lawmakers face an Oct. 13 deadline as Brazil's betting licenses near expiry.
One Week Until Pennsylvania Skill Machines Become Illegal
State officials will raid locations and seize the unregulated skill games next week following the expiration of a 120-day judicial stay.