Cary Spivak
In early 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was enacted by Congress, a bill that opened the door for legal Indian casinos. Prior to the passage of the law, numerous tribes owned casinos, although there were questions about their legality. In the early 1990s, Wisconsin tribal governments signed compact agreements outlining rules and regulations for operating Indian casinos.
In recent years, there's been a flurry of new casino development at the Illinois-Wisconsin border. And the Menominee tribe in February expressed new optimism that its long-sought Kenosha County casino might win federal approval under the Trump administration.
The tribe has been seeking approval for the project for about 30 years.
An off-reservation casino must also be approved by the state where it will be located since governors have unilateral authority to veto an off-reservation tribal gambling hall.
The Ho-Chunk tribe is planning to open a casino in Beloit next year — a move that would place it in direct competition with an existing casino in nearby Rockford, Illinois. And in Milwaukee, there has been expanded gambling opportunities at the Potawatomi casino near downtown.
Here's what to know about the recent casino developments in the region:
How long has there been legal casino gambling near the Illinois-Wisconsin border?
The Hard Rock Casino opened in Rockford in August 2024, while efforts by the Menominee tribe to open a casino in Kenosha goes back three decades and are still continuing. In 2015, then-Gov. Scott Walker used his unilateral veto power to kill the proposed Kenosha casino.
The Potawatomi tribe has been running a casino in Milwaukee's Menominee Valley for more than 30 years.
Do casinos near the Illinois-Wisconsin border make much money?
The Potawatomi casino in Milwaukee won about $430 million from gamblers in the 12-month period that ended June 30, 2024, according to Journal Sentinel calculations based on government records. Monthly reports are not available for the tribe's casino.
On the Illinois side, the American Place Casino in Waukegan won nearly $11 million from gamblers in March and the Hard Rock Casino in Rockford won more than $13 million in the month, reports show.
How many casinos are operating near the state line today?
Just two — for now.
The American Place Casino in Waukegan is a temporary casino with about 1,000 video gaming machines, 50 table games and sportsbook. A permanent casino is scheduled to open next year.
The Hard Rock Casino in Rockford houses about 1,300 slots, 50 table games and a sportsbook.
Are there plans to build any more casinos near the state line?
The Menominee tribe's latest Kenosha effort calls for it to team up with Hard Rock International. The casino would include 1,500 slot machines and about 50 table games.
The facility would be located on about 60 acres on the east and west sides of 122nd Avenue in Kenosha. The Village of Bristol in 2022 agreed to sell the land to Hard Rock for more than $15 million.
The proposal is pending before the federal government. It must also win approval from the governor.
In Beloit, the Ho-Chunk tribe is building a $500 million casino near Interstate 90. The casino is expected to have about 1,500 slot machines, 44 table games. Plans call for it to open next years.
Both tribes are planning to have hotels and other amenities near their new casinos.
Does a person have to go to a casino to play a slot machine in Illinois?
No. Video slot machines are as easy to find in Illinois as cheese in Wisconsin.
There are about 45,000 video gaming, or slot machines, in Illinois. You could find the games in all types of venues, including gas stations, bars and restaurants.
Although the machines are illegal in Wisconsin, it is not unusual to find slots in numerous locations, including taverns and restaurants.
Contact Cary Spivak at (414) 550-0070 or cspivak@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cspivak.
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