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Oldest / historic

Oldest casinos in Chicagoland still open

Oldest casino in Chicagoland still open: Hollywood Casino Joliet, opened 1992. 13 casinos open today with a documented opening year, oldest first.

Open casinos only, ordered by documented opening year. Gaps remain where we have not yet verified an openedAt date — those venues stay off this list.

13 casinos·Ordered by opening year — oldest first·Real listings · not ads·Updated: Oct 2026
13casinos
604tables
14,935slots
6poker rooms
10free parking

Top of this shortlist

The first three places in the ranking below.

Real listings · not ads
  1. 11992openedHollywood Casino JolietJoliet
  2. 21993openedHarrah's Joliet Casino & HotelJoliet
  3. 31993openedHollywood Casino AuroraAurora

How we ranked this

Real listings · not ads

Only published registry and editorial fields — nothing bought.

  • Documented opening year (oldest first)

In this shortlist

Real listings · not ads

13 / 13 casinos

  1. 1Hollywood Casino JolietJoliet · 22 tables · 972 slots1992opened
  2. 2Harrah's Joliet Casino & HotelJoliet · 21 tables · 781 slots1993opened
  3. 3Hollywood Casino AuroraAurora · 53 tables · 1,016 slots1993opened
  4. 4Grand Victoria CasinoElgin · 27 tables · 770 slots1994opened
  5. 5Horseshoe HammondHammond · 60 tables · 1,561 slots1996opened
  6. 6Ameristar Casino East ChicagoEast Chicago · 28 tables · 966 slots1997opened
  7. 7Blue Chip CasinoMichigan City · 22 tables · 1,303 slots1997opened
  8. 8Rivers Casino Des PlainesDes Plaines · 98 tables · 1,500 slots2011opened
  9. 9Hard Rock Casino Northern IndianaGary · 76 tables · 1,808 slots2021opened
  10. 10American Place CasinoWaukegan · 42 tables · 905 slots2023opened
  11. 11Bally's ChicagoChicago · 53 tables · 680 slots2023opened
  12. 12Hard Rock Casino RockfordRockford · 44 tables · 1,291 slots2024opened
  13. 13Wind Creek Chicago SouthlandChicago Southland · 58 tables · 1,382 slots2024opened

Related shortlists

Other ways into the same night.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers about this catalog — tap a question.

How many casinos are in Chicagoland?

Chicagoland has 13 casinos, according to the market’s official registry (IGB & IGC). Illinois casinos in the Chicago area and Rockford plus northwest Indiana. Downstate Illinois, the rest of Indiana, tribal casinos and online brands are not included.

What is the gambling age in Chicagoland?

You must be 21 or older to enter a gaming floor in Chicagoland. Carry a valid government-issued photo ID.

What is a shortlist on CasinoList?

A shortlist is a curated set of venues for one visitor situation — famous floors, poker rooms, free parking, downtown walks. Each shortlist is its own page with an explicit ranking rule, not a dump of every licence row.

How should I pick a casino from this catalog?

Start with a shortlist that matches the night — first-timer, poker, downtown, free parking — then open two or three profiles for hours, parking and floor size. Use filters on a shortlist page to narrow further.

How is this shortlist ranked?

Ordered by opening year — oldest first

Where do table and slot counts come from?

For Chicagoland, table-game and slot totals come from official reports published by Illinois Gaming Board and related registry files — the same numbers the state publishes. Profile pages show the source and check date.

Do you list online casinos or betting apps?

No. CasinoList covers land-based, licensed floors you can walk into. Online casinos, apps and grey-market venues stay off the catalog.

Can a casino pay to rank higher?

No. Rankings and shortlist membership are never sold. Ads policy and editorial rules are published on our methodology page.

How often is the Chicagoland catalog updated?

We refresh registry-backed inventory when new official reports land, and re-check operator facts on a desk schedule. Each profile shows when a field was last verified.

Is free parking guaranteed on the free-parking shortlist?

Free parking means our visit block records free self-park as published. Fees and validation rules can change — confirm on site or on the operator’s page before you drive in.

Provenance

Where the numbers come from

Registry reports and named pages — not review-site scrapes. Open a profile for the check date on each fact.

Names and trademarks belong to their owners. Counts and hours can change — confirm with the property before you go.