PENN Entertainment Sets Opening Date for New Illinois Casino

Casino operator PENN Entertainment has announced it will open its new Hollywood Casino Joliet, Illinois, on Aug. 11 – six months ahead of schedule. The new location will take over operations from the existing Hollywood Casino Joliet on the Des Plaines River, with the Illinois Gaming Board overseeing the transition. 

Key Takeaways 

• The new land-based casino will take over from the Hollywood Casino Joliet riverboat casino. The transition will occur closer to the opening. 
• The new Hollywood Casino will include 1,000 slots and 43 table games. 

The PENN Entertainment estimates that 230,000 vehicles will pass the new Hollywood Casino Joliet daily. The casino will offer 1,000 slots and 43 table games, including baccarat. 

There will also be a retail ESPN BET sportsbook, the betting brand powered by PENN Entertainment in partnership with Disney. ESPN BET is one of several licensed online Illinois sports betting options.  

Outside of gaming, the new casino will also have around 1,300 parking spaces, a 10,000-square-foot event center, and several restaurants. One of the proposed restaurants is Lucky Goat, from chef Stephanie Izard.  

The new casino is estimated to employ around 600 people, an increase from the 200 employed at the current Hollywood Casino Joliet.  

“The countdown to the opening of our newest casino begins today. The move from our existing riverboat significantly improves our offerings in the highly attractive Chicagoland market, and both our existing customers and new guests will be able to enjoy premier gaming, dining, and entertainment at this exceptionally accessible new location,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and president for PENN.  

PENN Entertainment will receive around $130 million from Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. during Q3.  

Good news keeps coming for PENN Entertainment after positive Q1 results 

Announcing the casino development six months ahead of schedule is just one piece of good news PENN Entertainment has enjoyed recently after the company released its Q1 2025 financial report. 

The company’s revenue increased by nearly 4% year-over-year in Q1, powered by a 40% increase in revenue from its interactive segment, which covers Illinois online sportsbook ESPN BET, theScore Bet, and Hollywood iCasino. Overall, the company produced $111.5 million in net income in Q1 2025.  

Land-based casino performance was negatively impacted by around $10 million in January and February. 

While its online casino and sports betting platforms drove the revenue increase, PENN Entertainment hopes its new Illinois casino complex will help boost its land-based revenues.

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