After the Illinois Gaming Board on Sunday, March 15 ordered the state’s 13 riverboat casinos to close in an effort to limit exposure to the coronavirus, state officials shut down video gambling until the end of March. The order assures all of the 35,483 video gambling machines at 7,307 locations across the state are now temporarily inaccessible; most would have been unavailable following Governor J.B. Pritzker’s order closing down all bars and restaurants except for takeout and delivery orders.
Illinois was the first state to require casinos to close for a period of time. Earlier, Governor J.G. Pritzker called on establishments statewide to temporarily cancel gatherings of 250 people or more due to coronavirus fears. Before the shutdown mandate, casinos tried to keep the coronavirus at bay by increasing cleaning rotations.
The state’s most lucrative gambling operation, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, announced its hiatus would start Sunday, March 15—just four days after it had opened the state’s first legal sportsbook. Rush Street Gaming operates Rivers Casino; the majority owner is Churchill Downs.
Penn National Gaming operates Argosy Casino Alton, Hollywood Casino Joliet and Hollywood Casino Aurora. Argosy Casino Alton was set to open the state’s second legal sportsbook on Monday, March 16 but the grand opening was canceled. Officials said they still would take wagers on the few remaining scheduled sports events but that ended with the temporary casino closures. Penn National will continue to pay employees’ full wages and benefits.
Other Illinois casinos included in the temporary shutdown include Caesars Entertainment’s Harrah’s Joliet and Harrah’s Metropolis; Eldorado Resorts’ Grand Victoria in Elgin; Delaware North’s Jumer’s Casino Hotel in Rock Island; Boyd Gaming’s Pair-A-Dice hotel casino in East Peoria; and the employee-owned Casino Queen in East St. Louis.
Horseracing betting still is available via mobile and online wagering. Fairmount Park in downstate Collinsville is closed to spectators, including at their off-track betting parlors, but said they’ll broadcast races to wager on. Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney announced Monday evening they’re suspending races through the end of the month.
