Rivers Casino Tops $40 Million for Second Time in September

For the second time since opening in July 2011, Rivers Casino, 3000 S. River Road, topped $40 million in adjusted gross receipts in a month, according to a report from the Illinois Gaming Board. Rivers Casino collected $40,356,000 in adjusted gross receipts, according to the report, and the state’s newest casino continued to outpace the other nine casinos in Illinois, a position the gaming venue has held since its first full month of operation in August 2011.

Rivers Casino’s top-grossing month to date was in June when the operation generated $42,545,000 in adjusted gross receipts, according to the Illinois Gaming Board.

August 2012 was the least-grossing month to date at Rivers Casino, during which $26,414,000 in adjusted gross receipts was reported by the Illinois Gaming Board.

Rivers Casino has generated $318,955,000 in adjusted gross receipts from January through the end of September, according to the Illinois Gaming Board monthly report. The next highest-grossing casino after Rivers Casino, year-to-date through September, was Hollywood Casino in Aurora, which produced $115,347,000.

In terms of admissions, 3,002,666 people visited Rivers Casino from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, the Illinois Gaming Board reported. The next greatest in admissions was Casino Queen in East St. Louis, which 1,433,143 people entered since the beginning of the year.

More on gaming tax revenues received by Des Plaines

Des Plaines receives a one-dollar admission tax from the state for everyone that enters the casino, a five percent gaming tax and sales tax from the restaurants located in the casino.

The city has a revenue sharing agreement through Midwest Gaming in which it pays $10 million of gaming tax revenues collected annually to the state for 30 years, distributes 40 percent of the remaining gaming tax revenue to 10 disadvantaged communities and retains the balance.

Des Plaines received more than $10.8 million from the Rivers Casino for 2011, which was divided into approximately $4.6 million for the state, $2.4 million for the 10 disadvantaged communities and approximately $3.7 million for Des Plaines in June.

Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed a gaming expansion bill in August that provided for five new casinos and slot machines to be operated at six racetracks including Arlington Park. The proposed legislation contained language that changed Des Plaines’ revenue sharing agreement, reducing its obligations. Currently, Des Plaines is the only municipality with a revenue sharing agreement of this type.