Is Chicago Ever Getting Video Gambling Machines? Bars Wait For Answers As City Council Spars
Video gambling terminals are new territory for most Chicago bars and restaurants. While terminal operators handle most of the licensing work, businesses still need to keep ownership and management information current with both the Illinois Gaming Board and Chicago's Department of Business Affairs. At Troglia Law Group, we have experience with corporate governance and the agencies that regulate Chicago's licensed businesses.
Block Club Chicago reports that six months after video gambling terminals were legalized in Chicago's 2026 budget, the City Council is still debating their future. A committee hearing ended abruptly last week without a vote, leaving over 280 businesses with pending state applications in limbo. Meanwhile, Bally's casino is threatening legal action, and roughly 7,000 unregulated sweepstakes machines continue operating in a legal gray area.