Chicago’s two major airports are gearing up to become the third and fourth US airports to offer slot machines.
Legislation approved in 2019 for a first-ever Chicago casino also allows slot machines to be located at the city’s O’Hare International Airport and Midway Airport.
Currently, the only US airports with slot machines are Harry Reid International in Las Vegas and Reno-Tahoe International in Reno.
South Point Hotel-Casino owner Michael Gaughan is the Reid International supplier, and in 2022 he announced that airport slots had generated $1 billion in revenue over the 36 years he held the concession.
It’s unclear when O’Hare and Midway might get slot machines. The concession there is owned by Bally’s Corp., the company building a $2 billion integrated resort in the city.
A new push to develop airport slot machines was renewed earlier this month when Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson proposed implementing a 10.25 percent city tax on Illinois sports games placed within city limits to address a $1.15 billion budget deficit. When state lawmakers rejected that plan, attention turned to placing slot machines at the two airports, which is allowed as long as they are located outside Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot chose not to invest in airport slots, but the budget shortfall and the state’s rejection of a city tax on sports betting could lead Johnson to want to add them.
Arizona betting
The Arizona Department of Gaming has reported a 23 percent increase in sports betting in the state in August compared to a year ago.
The closest state to Nevada that offers sports betting reported that Arizona gamblers wagered $610.7 million on retail and mobile sports betting that month, with the state collecting $4.1 million in fees.
Arizona’s biggest provider for the month was FanDuel, earning $178.5 million from betting. FanDuel is not licensed in Nevada.
In Arizona, operators pay an 8 percent fee on retail bets and 10 percent on mobile games to the state.
Macau visit
Macau reported 29.7 million visitors in the first three quarters of 2025, up 14.5 percent from the same period a year ago, according to the region’s Statistics and Census Service.
The region’s corresponding gaming revenue during that time frame is up 7.1 percent to $22.6 billion (US), according to Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.
Nevada’s third-quarter gaming earnings and visitor statistics are expected to be reported by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority this week.
In a move similar to Las Vegas’ tourism strategy, Macau’s resort industry is focusing on expanding its entertainment and sports offerings to attract visitors. The region recently held the exhibition National Basketball Association game at an arena in Macau.
Mainland Chinese visitors dominated Macau arrivals, up 18.4 percent to an estimated 21.6 million.
International visits totaled 1.9 million and most of their arrivals came from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Boyd’s 3Q reflects “ongoing risks” from slower Vegas destination travel
A financial analyst said weakness in destination travel continues to be a risk factor for Boyd Gaming Corp., noting that the Las Vegas-based company’s third-quarter EBITDAR fell 4 percent year-over-year entirely due to softer performance at The Orleans Hotel and Casino, a property more reliant on out-of-town visitors than the rest of Boyd’s portfolio.
While revenue from gaming (+2.6 percent) and beverages (+3.9 percent) rose modestly during the quarter, hotel room revenue fell by about 10 percent.
Kyle Owusu, senior credit analyst at Octus, said that while The Orleans was the hardest hit, Boyd’s downtown and Las Vegas locals casinos have also felt the effects of weaker tourism. Because visitor volumes in Downtown Las Vegas closely follow those on the Strip, the broader decline in tourism that has hurt Strip casinos similarly weighs on downtown traffic, he said.
Still, Owusu noted Boyd’s 90-day booking trends for its downtown and locals properties have improved compared to three months ago.
Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@ theplayerlounge.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.
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