Order effective 11:01pm Thursday
Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) have announced that video gaming facilities and casinos must shut down “at the conclusion of the gaming day at 11:01pm” on November 19. The November 17 order comes as the Prairie State attempts to halt the rising spread of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, with over 12,000 fresh cases along with 97 fatalities reported Tuesday.
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In a tweet, Pritzker shared an infographic of the Tier 3 resurgence mitigation plan, which includes the shuttering of casinos, gaming establishments, and cultural institutions such as museums.
Under the governor’s new directive, performing arts and movie theatres plus indoor sports recreation centers will also need to close on Thursday night for an unspecified duration. Casinos and gaming establishments were already operating under mitigation procedures, but this latest measure will represent another major hit after the previous shutdown from March 16 until July 1.
VGT closures to have a ripple effect
According to an NBC 5 Chicago report, switching off more than 37,000 video gaming terminals (VGTs) at over 7,000 venues will represent “a monster hit in revenue which was flowing like a firehose into state coffers.”
switching off more than 37,000 video gaming terminals (VGTs) will represent “a monster hit in revenue”
Pritzker singled out the VGTs during a live address on Tuesday, saying: “Many of the reasons that some of the bars and restaurants were keeping their doors open was because their video gaming terminals were providing them with a lot of income.”
Figures published by the Illinois Gaming Board show that October income from VGTs was $168.4m, contributing $48.8m in tax revenue for the state. Of that total, $8.4m in municipal tax went to dozens of communities where the 37,459 VGTs are located.
While the Land of Lincoln’s ten riverboat casinos will also take a big hit, they only posted an October revenue of $16.5m. This is just a third of what VGTs made.
Casinos shuttering across the US
The Illinois casino closures order follows a rising trend across the US. Under Pennsylvania’s new ‘Safer at Home’ measures, Rivers Casino Philadelphia and the South Philadelphia Race and Sportsbook facility will shutter from November 20 until at least January 1, 2021. Casinos in other parts of the state can continue operating under previously mandated restrictions.
Casinos in Teller Country, Colorado have to halt operations on November 23. Over in Michigan, Detroit’s three commercial casinos will close their doors starting today until December 8. Michigan’s 24 tribal casinos, however, are not subject to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s new order.
A defined timeline
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The Illinois Gaming Board has announced that casinos and video gambling machine operations in the state can resume business activity from July 1 at 9am. The reopening of facilities is subject to operators meeting the health and safety protocols outlined.
restart activity while protecting the health of industry employees and the public
Illinois Gaming Board administrator Marcus Fruchter issued a news release on June 25 outlining plans and required measures for the resumption of gambling businesses in the state. The aim is to restart activity while protecting the health of industry employees and the public.
All ten casinos in Illinois will need to submit their own reopening plans to the gaming board for approval. No indication has been given regarding which casino establishments plan to reopen on July 1.
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The reopening rules
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The restrictions outlined for casinos upon reopening include operating at 50% capacity. Six-feet social distancing applies at all slot machines, table games, restaurants, sportsbooks, and other public areas. Valet parking, buffets, and poker rooms cannot reopen yet. All staff and customers will need to wear face coverings, and employees will be provided with free protective equipment.
operating at 50% capacity
There will be regular health screenings of employees and patrons upon entering gambling premises, while detailed schedules for sanitizing the facilities will be in place.
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Illinois Slot Machine Percentages
Only 168 out of more than 7,400 video gambling machine operators in the state have so far got approval to open their doors on July 1, according to board spokesman Joe Miller. These gambling terminals, which are frequently located in the likes of truck stops, restaurants, and bars, need to be at least six feet apart from each other unless dividing partitions are erected.
Video gambling terminal operators must also submit a detailed reopening plan and have daily health screenings for customers and employees.
Much-needed revenue
Illinois has a significant state budget deficit, with gambling revenue helping out in this regard. Sports bettors have been able to register for online sports betting accounts from home despite the statewide lockdown. Earlier this month, Governor J.B. Pritzker suspended the in-person registration requirement to allow sports betting to continue. The state’s first online sportsbook launched last week through Rivers Casino.
video gambling machines make up the second-biggest gaming revenue driver
Illinois’ 36,000-plus video gambling machines make up the second-biggest gaming revenue driver, behind the state lottery. From March until June 2019, state revenue from casinos was $114m, while video gambling machine revenue amounted to $147m.
COVID-19 shutdown
All casino and gaming machine operations in Illinois have been suspended since the March 16 stay-at-home order was issued in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. More than 5,000 casino workers have been out of work since. It was recently hoped that the state’s casinos would reopen by June 26.
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Phase Four of the reopening plan is set to begin on Friday, with Illinois restaurants, gyms, and museums resuming business activity at reduced capacity. To date, there have been more than 139,430 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, resulting in 6,810 deaths.