Gaming in Illinois: permanent Hard Rock Casino Rockford takes $13.7m in revenue in first month
The venue took the second-highest revenue total in the state.
US.- The new permanent Hard Rock Casino Rockford registered $13.7m in revenue in September, its first month in business. According to the Illinois Gaming Board’s figures, that was the second largest revenue take in the state in September, behind Rivers Casino Des Planes, which brought in $41.5m.
The $300m 175,000-square-foot facility is located near the I-90 State Street exit in Rockford. It replaced the temporary site that had been operating since November 2021.
The casino features nearly 1,300 slot machines and 50 live table games, including poker, as well as a sportsbook. It also has a 1,600-seat Hard Rock Live entertainment venue. . The venue is decorated with music memorabilia and has a Rock Shop for merchandise.
The opening event was attended by Illinois governor JB Pritzker, Hard Rock International COO Jon Lucas, Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen and NBA player Fred VanVleet. The event included live performances, pyrotechnics, and a tribute to World War II veterans.
See also: Illinois Gaming Board renews casino gaming and sports betting licences
The Illinois General Assembly annual report on gambling showed a record $2.1bn was raised in tax revenue from the sector last year, including the state lottery. However, while there was growth in video gambling, sports betting plus the opening of new casinos, the state’s traditional riverboat casinos and the horse racing industry saw revenue continue to decline.
While the Illinois Lottery continues to generate a significant portion of the state’s gambling revenue, it may soon be surpassed by the expanding video gambling sector. In the last fiscal year, the lottery generated $886m in tax revenue, while taxes from video gambling totalled $848m.
