Circa is getting ready to launch operations in Illinois any day now. Set to welcome its first round of sports bettors this year, the sportsbook at the American Place is expected to include all the bells and whistles of modern sportsbooks including digital boards showing real-time odds, ticket windows, as well as betting kiosks.
The sportsbook will also have massive televisions that will air sports events from all over the world. According to the CEO of Circa Sports Derek Stevens, Circa is currently ready to start offering sports betting services as soon as the American Place casino launches. However, Circa Sports will have to wait for a few months before it can officially start accepting sports wagers.
This is because of the regulatory process in the state. According to Illinois gaming laws, a casino has to first open and wait for a specified period before it can bring in its sportsbook partner. When it does finally start offering sports betting services, Circa intends to set itself apart from the 7 other books by offering a lower percentage hold while also offering high rollers to place large wagers.
Last year in May, Circa Sports reached an agreement with the American Place Casino to operate the new brick-and-mortar casino in Illinois. Thanks to this deal, Circa Sports now has the opportunity to expand its operations to the lucrative sports betting market in the state.
Circa Sports, which was founded in 2019, has set up shop in several states including Colorado, Iowa, and Nevada. Circa’s sportsbooks boast at least 5 locations in Nevada, among them a prized location in the biggest sportsbook at Circa Resort. As such, Circa Sports already enjoys thriving relationships with punters in the Midwest and will be bringing this experience to gamblers in Illinois.
This partnership with American Place is just what Circa Sports needed to extend its operations. Illinois will be the first time that the brand will introduce a retail sportsbook to a new state, which is quite a milestone for the growing operator. Circa Sports will work closely with Full House Resorts, which will operate the casino in Waukegan.
Illinois gambling regulators selected Full House Resorts in December 2021 as the finalist for a full betting license. Full House had hoped that the temporary facility would be open mid-last year. However, the project has been delayed due to numerous setbacks.
Full House was allowed to begin the development and construction of the temporary casino first, which has helped to create jobs as the permanent facility is under construction. The plans for the permanent facility include a casino floor capable of accommodating at least 1,640 slot machines and 100 table games.
Regulators expect that American Place will attract approximately 2.5 million gambling patrons and produce $255.5 million in gross revenue in just its first year of being in business, based on Full House’s initial license application. This will produce at least $22.2 million in taxes and lease fees that will be paid to the city of Waukegan.
Under the state’s revenue=sharing formula that was included in the state law, the Lake County government, Park City, as well as North Chicago also stand to benefit greatly from the new casino in Waukegan. Full House also expects to hire at least 1,150 full-time casino staff and more than 700 part-time employees based on its license application.
In addition to the casino gaming, the permanent facility is also anticipated to have a boutique hotel with 20 rooms, as well as a heliport. The temporary facility was made a reality by the gambling expansion bill of 2019, which was sponsored by former state senator Terry Link. This gambling expansion bill contained a provision to allow a casino in Waukegan and 5 other cities in Illinois to open new casinos.
The casino at American Place was initially 1 of 5 applications that were submitted to the City Council of Waukegan. Aldermen voted to forward the application and 2 others to the gambling board. However, following a delayed review of the application due to the pandemic, Rush Street Gaming, which currently runs Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, eventually pulled out from consideration.
This left an application from Lakeside Casino for the North Pointe Casino and American Place’s proposal. Although the selection process should have been smooth, the process was characterized by challenges. For instance, the Potawatomi tribe had at some point requested an order to block the gambling board from approving licenses, which caused even further delays in the selection process.
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The temporary casino is yet to announce its official launch date
At first, the Temporary casino was expected to open its doors in October but then pushed the opening date to December. However, the Temporary American Place casino is yet to welcome punters in Waukegan to its facility. Casino regulators believe that Full House has been waiting for approval from the Illinois Gaming Board before it can announce its official opening date.
Once approved to launch in the state, the temporary casino in Waukegan will be the 12th casino to operate. Owing to the gambling expansion bill, the state is expecting an additional 5 casinos. For instance, Golden Nugget Danville has had its fair share of challenges but is predicted to start taking bets in April this year.
When it finally starts welcoming guests, Golden Nugget Danville will have a massive floor consisting of at least 14 table games and 500 slot machines. While other casino operators opted to set up a temporary facility first, Golden Nugget chose to bypass the temporary facility, which expedited the construction process for its primary facility.
The Medina Temple will also have a temporary casino by Bally’s which will act as a placeholder until the permanent Bally’s Chicago is completed in 2026. In Williamson County, Walker’s Bluff Casino will open in 2023. Additional casino facilities in Illinois will also include Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino and a permanent Hard Rock Rockford casino.
Final Thoughts
The casino market in Illinois has a bright future with the Temporary by American Place Casino almost ready to open, with more casinos on the way. Indeed, 2023 is slated to be one of the most profitable years for casinos in Illinois.
