Illinois’s gambling industry has thrived since casinos were first legalized in 1990, and is now a source of $2 billion in tax revenue for the Prairie State. Yet, not all casinos are enjoying the same levels of success, with location-based oversaturation now meaning that some casinos are overperforming while others struggle. It is to solve this that state lawmakers have introduced a bill seeking to amend the Gambling Act.

IL House Bill 4070 proposes a financial review of the 17 operating casinos in the state to determine the three worst-performing establishments and provide an opportunity for them to relocate to other locations within the state, allowing them to explore previously untapped markets. This initiative reflects a broader trend in the gaming industry, where adaptability and market expansion are key, similar to how platforms like GG.BET casino online continuously seek new opportunities to reach a wider audience and operate legally.

Why this Bill is Significant

The present configuration of the Illinois Gambling Act allows casinos to operate in the state. However, they are confined to the locations that their licenses permit, and have no option to relocate if business becomes unprofitable or the market becomes oversaturated. In essence, they either had to endure the poor business, try to sell their licenses, or close shop.

This new bill is designed to help the most underperforming casinos find new, potentially lucrative locations.

It is similar to the 2019 expansion of the Gambling Act, which opened up new locations and allowed six new casinos to set up shop in the state, and has since generated more than $386 million in upfront gaming fees. This time, it will create the possibility for existing casinos to relocate for the first time.

More importantly, it creates new opportunities for presently underserved or excluded cities and communities to potentially host casinos, allowing their residents to access these entertainment facilities close to them.

What the Bill Proposes

House Bill 4070l, which was introduced by Reps Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford, Sponsor), Jason Bunting (R-Emington), Marty McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills, Co-Sponsor), and Patrick Sheehan (R-Lockport), authorizes the Illinois Gaming Board to:

• Identify the three lowest-performing casinos based on their finances over the previous year, within the next 12 months after it is signed in.
• Open a Request for Proposals (RFP) for cities/counties interested in hosting a relocated casino.
• Select relocation sites based on submitted proposals.

Operators of the casinos identified during the financial review may then apply to relocate to the approved locations, and upon gaining approval, they must complete relocation within five years.

The bill also acknowledges the losses that these relocations will inflict on their present host communities, including loss of jobs, tourism, and tax revenues. Hence, it proposes that they would continue to receive double their current share of revenues if they lose a casino license.

To be clear, the identified casinos would not be mandated to move. They retain the option to either remain in their present locations or seek to move.

What are the Potential Impacts of this Bill?

If passed, HB 4070 could impact Illinois’ finances in so many ways:

• It creates an opportunity for struggling casino operators to reset and access new and unsaturated markets, opening them to potentially higher business traffic and, therefore, revenue. They could go from being ‘one of the others’ to becoming the main guys in their new locations. This could be the difference between folding up and becoming long-term viable and profitable.
• For the cities that might be getting the licenses, it provides an opportunity to attract new jobs for their residents, attract new infrastructure investments, increase tourism by travelling gamblers from nearby cities and counties, and increase tax revenue. It also creates avenues for cities whose residents have been excluded from the state’s gambling footprint to now partake in the entertainment.
• For the state, it presents an alternative solution to growing its tax revenue without needing to issue new licenses, which can be logistically difficult. Current tax revenue from legal gambling in the state is $2 billion. A move like this, which could potentially grow the revenues and profits of these casinos, would also grow the state’s tax revenue.
• For the communities losing these casinos—and therefore the tourism and jobs—it provides a safeguard that will increase its revenue share from the same casinos, even after their exit, on an ongoing basis.

What Next?

House Bill 4070 was introduced in May of 2025, and as of late July, it is still “In Committee”, undergoing review by the House Rules Committee.

If passed, the Illinois Gaming Board will publish the relocation RFP and begin evaluating proposals.