Aurora is expanding the number of gambling terminals allowed in local establishments, despite the city’s Hollywood Casino location being against the change.
City code previously allowed licensed establishments to have up to five “video gaming” terminals, but now that number has been increased to six. The change, approved by the Aurora City Council on Tuesday, also raised the total number of allowed terminals within city limits by 40 for a total of 240.
The increased cap on video gambling terminals is expected to bring in new revenue both for the local businesses they are installed in and for the city through taxes and licensing fees.
“A lot of times, when we help businesses, they are the big, large companies from out of town,” Ald. Daniel Barreiro, 1st Ward, said at the Tuesday meeting. “Very rarely do we get an opportunity to help local small businesses.”
There are 38 licensed businesses within Aurora with gambling terminals, and nearly all have the maximum currently allowed under city code, Deputy Chief of Staff Nicholas Richard-Thompson told a committee of the Aurora City Council in October. Businesses have been asking the city to increase the allowed number of machines, he said, which state law allows.
The city could annually bring in an additional $56,000 from licenses and an additional $155,000 from an existing tax on the machines because of the change, Aurora Chief of Staff Shannon Cameron said at the time.
The increase to the total number of allowed gambling terminals within city limits would allow all existing licensed businesses with the terminals to increase to the new cap, according to Richard-Thompson. He said at the time that it would also give three new businesses the chance to apply for a license and install their own terminals, and that applications would be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The now-approved proposal previously went before the Aurora City Council on Oct. 28, but a final vote was delayed to discuss the change with Hollywood Casino-Aurora, which is building a $360 million new location across the street from Chicago Premium Outlets mall in the city.
When the proposal was brought up at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, both Richard-Thompson and Aurora Mayor John Laesch said that casino officials were against the increase in allowed gambling terminals. While Laesch suggested delaying the change, he said, casino officials told him they would always be opposed.
“They’re going to always oppose any other competition of any form. That was the message that was relayed,” Laesch said.
Ald. Edward Bugg, 9th Ward, said he saw the need for this change for small businesses, especially social clubs as this is “more of a lifeline” for them. But he also said that everyone “understands the importance of the casino” and referenced money that often goes to nonprofits through the city’s tax on gambling.
Any industry moving locations creates unknowns, Bugg said, so he suggested further delaying the change.
According to Richard-Thompson, research shows that those who go to casinos and those who go to social clubs are different types of people, so it is unlikely the change will impact the casino. Those looking to gamble likely won’t think to go anywhere but the casino, he said, while someone going to a bar might use a machine just because it happens to be there.
Ald. Carl Franco, 5th Ward, said he wasn’t against the change but was concerned about a new business coming in close to the new casino that wanted to have gambling machines. If that happens, Richard-Thompson said, it would need to come before the Aurora City Council for approval so the issue could be addressed at that time.
Ald. Juany Garza, 2nd Ward, was previously concerned about the change because of the societal issue of gambling addictions, but she said Tuesday that after speaking with social clubs and businesses that wanted the change, she was now in favor of it.
“If they feel they can make a little bit more money with an extra machine, I’m OK with that,” Garza said.
The Aurora City Council voted 8–1 in favor of the change, with Bugg voting against. Alds. Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward, Patty Smith, 8th Ward, and Shweta Baid, 10th Ward, were not at the meeting so did not vote.
Aurora this year has taken a number of other steps to increase or stabilize revenue, including an increase to the city’s hotel tax and the local continuation of a grocery tax set to otherwise expire statewide at the end of the year. This comes amid budget concerns, with Aurora officials proposing significant cuts in 2026, including to staffing.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
