Chicago mayor now open to video gambling after lawmakers express
frustration
[July 28, 2025]
By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – After Illinois lawmakers expressed frustration
with Chicago’s refusal to allow video gambling in the city, Mayor
Brandon Johnson says he’s now open to the idea.
Johnson told reporters the issue is being debated, although members of
his administration previously suggested video gaming terminals wouldn’t
bring in much revenue.
“I’m open. I’ll just say it like that, right, because the work that we
have to do to continue to build a safe and affordable city requires us
to make critical investments. As long as people are willing to
participate in that form of entertainment, it’s an opportunity to for us
to secure the revenue that’s needed,” Johnson said at a press
availability on Tuesday.
During the Illinois General Assembly’s 2025 spring legislative session,
state Rep. Michael Kelly, D-Chicago, introduced House Bill 2990. The
measure would allow Chicago to opt out of video gaming instead of having
to opt in, but the bill failed to advance out of committee.
Kelly said the VGT’s would bring in projected revenues of $250 million
for the state of Illinois and $50 to 70 million for the city.
State Rep. Dave Vella, D-Loves Park, addressed Chicago intergovernmental
affairs director John Arena at an Illinois House Gaming Committee
hearing on May 14.
Vella said there are a ton of VGT’s in the Rockford area.
“And they help keep restaurants open. It sounds like a third of your
restaurants have closed down,” Vella said.
Pat Doerr, managing director of the Hospitality Business Association of
Chicago, told committee members that 30% of the city’s taverns have
closed since 2012.
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Vella said, for 12 years, Chicago has been receiving road funds from
VGTs in Rockford and Peoria and the Quad Cities.
“It is frustrating to leave this much money on the table when the
city of Chicago and the mayor has made statement after statement
that he’s going to come to Springfield and get what Chicago’s due,
and Chicago’s not willing to kick in,” Vella said.
State Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, said lawmakers were
practically begging Chicago to accept the revenue that video gaming
would bring in.
“If the city of Chicago needs financial support from the state as
much as it seems to suggest it does by its leadership’s comments in
the media, try to work towards taking ‘yes’ for an answer,” Didech
said.
Didech said the state has collected more than $6.7 billion in tax
revenues since authorizing VGT’s in 2012. More than $1 billion of
that was redistributed to municipalities, he said.
Later, during debate on the state budget at the end of May, state
Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, noted that funds from video gaming
downstate are funneled to Chicago.
“All of these VGT revenues that are being raised outside the city of
Chicago seem to be going and supporting significant projects in the
13th Ward, in the 26th Ward, Chicago Public Schools,” Keicher said.
The 13th Ward is the home of former Illinois House Speaker and
Democratic Party of Illinois chairman Michael Madigan, who was
sentenced to 7.5 years in prison after being convicted on 10 counts
of public corruption earlier this year.
Kevin Bessler contributed to this story.
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