Casino revenues decline again
By Bob Okon bokon@stmedianetwork.com February 9, 2013 1:58AM
Owner Alfonso Izquierdo is happy to see the video poker machines go live at Izzy's in Joliet, Illinois, Tuesday, October 9, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media
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Updated: March 11, 2013 6:48AM
Illinois casino revenues trailed year-ago results for the fourth consecutive month in January, although Joliet casinos fared fairly well.
Harrah’s Joliet was one of only two casinos where gambling revenues were ahead of January 2012.
Statewide, casino revenue was down 3 percent from January 2012, according to the monthly report from the Illinois Gaming Board.
The downward trend marks a reversal from gains made after the state added the Des Plaines Rivers Casino in mid-2011. Rivers became the top money-maker in the state. And, even though it drew business from the four other casinos in the Chicago-area, the additional casino in Des Plaines contributed to the growth in statewide casino numbers.
Rivers Casino was the other casino showing growth from a year ago. January gambling revenue was up 6.8 percent at $32.4 million.
Harrah’s Joliet, the second-biggest money-maker in Illinois behind Rivers, had a 2.4 percent gain in revenues from January 2012. Harrah’s gambling revenues were $16.9 million.
Hollywood Joliet revenues were down 1.4 percent, a relatively small drop compared to other casinos in Illinois. Revenues were $10.7 million, which ranked fifth among the state’s 10 casinos.
Hollywood Aurora was fourth at $10.9 million, a drop of less than 1 percent from a year ago.
Four casinos had revenue declines in double-digits with the deepest drop being at the East St. Louis casino, which fell 12.5 percent off the January 2012 mark.
