O'Hare and Midway Poised to Add Slot Machines
Chicago’s major airports could join Las Vegas and Reno in offering slot machines, a move that may reshape city revenues and airport retail strategies.
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Legislation tied to Illinois’ 2019 casino bill allows slot machines to be installed at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Midway Airport, and city officials are again weighing whether to activate that provision. If implemented, the airports would become the third and fourth U.S. airports to host gaming terminals, joining Harry Reid International in Las Vegas and Reno-Tahoe International.
The concession rights in Chicago are held by Bally’s Corporation, which is simultaneously developing a multibillion-dollar integrated resort in the city. Under current rules, airport gaming machines must be placed beyond Transportation Security Administration checkpoints. City leaders have not set a timetable for deployment and say any rollout would require coordination with federal and airport authorities.
The idea resurfaced after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson proposed a 10.25 percent municipal tax on sports wagers placed inside city limits as part of a wider effort to close a reported $1.15 billion budget shortfall. When state lawmakers declined that tax plan, attention returned to airport slots as an alternate revenue source. Former mayor Lori Lightfoot chose not to pursue airport machines during her tenure; the current administration has signaled more openness to revenue options that do not require state approval.
Operators and industry veterans point to long-standing precedents. Michael Gaughan, owner of South Point Hotel-Casino, has operated the slot concession at Las Vegas’ airport for decades; in 2022 he said slot machines at Harry Reid had generated roughly $1 billion in cumulative revenue across 36 years. That performance is often cited by municipalities considering airport gaming, though revenue splits, concession terms and local taxes vary substantially between jurisdictions.
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Regional Trends: Arizona Betting, Macao Visitors and Boyd Gaming Concerns
The renewed focus on airport gaming in Chicago comes amid broader shifts in regional wagering and international visitation. In Arizona, the Department of Gaming reported a 23 percent year‑over‑year increase in sports wagering activity for August, with bettors staking roughly $610.7 million across retail and mobile channels and the state collecting about $4.1 million in regulatory fees for the month. FanDuel led operators in Arizona that month, reporting approximately $178.5 million in handle; state tax structures in Arizona assess about 8 percent on retail wagers and 10 percent on mobile bets.
Across the Pacific, Macao’s tourism recovery continued through the first three quarters of 2025. Local authorities reported 29.7 million visitors in that period, up 14.5 percent from the prior year, while gross gaming revenue rose 7.1 percent to an estimated $22.6 billion (U.S.). Mainland China accounted for the bulk of arrivals, with international travelers primarily from Southeast Asian markets. Resorts in Macao are expanding entertainment and sports offerings—recent exhibition National Basketball Association games illustrate efforts to diversify beyond pure gaming to sustain visitation growth.
Back in Nevada, publicly traded operator Boyd Gaming flagged lingering demand risks. The company reported a year‑over‑year decline in third-quarter EBITDAR driven largely by softer performance at The Orleans, a downtown Las Vegas property more reliant on destination tourists. Kyle Owusu, senior credit analyst at Octus, said: "The Orleans illustrates how downtown and destination-dependent properties are vulnerable when visitor volumes soften. We continue to see booking improvements on a 90‑day horizon, but near‑term headwinds from reduced leisure travel persist and could pressure margins if visitation does not stabilize." Boyd saw modest gains in gaming and beverage revenue, but hotel revenue fell roughly 10 percent in the quarter.
Regulatory and Fiscal Considerations for Cities
For operators, airport placements offer a captive audience and extended operating hours but require careful planning around passenger flows and terminal layouts. For policymakers, the choice to enable slot machines at airports will hinge on balancing near‑term fiscal relief with broader tourism and community objectives.
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