Accel Weighs Chicago VGT Opportunity Amid City Policy Review
Accel Entertainment is evaluating a potential entry into the Chicago market after city officials confirmed they are considering allowing Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs) in licensed premises. The development could mark a major shift for Illinois’ largest city, introducing a new layer of distributed gaming into a market that has so far remained closed to VGT operations.
The locally focused gaming operator said it is assessing whether its distributed gaming and local entertainment model could be deployed in Chicago, following recent public discussions around the possible regulatory framework. While no formal decision has yet been taken, early signals suggest the city is exploring VGTs as a new source of long-term tax revenue.
Revenue Potential and Market Scale
According to the City Council Office of Financial Analysis, a proposed VGT framework could generate approximately $64m in additional annual tax revenue for the City of Chicago. Longer-term projections indicate total annual VGT gross gaming revenue could reach $1bn once the market is fully rolled out, in addition to the roughly $3bn already generated by VGTs across the rest of Illinois. Based on previous studies, a full rollout could take up to ten years.
Under Illinois’ current statutory structure, licensed VGT operators receive 32.04% of gross gaming revenue. If applied to Chicago, this would equate to approximately $320m in additional net terminal income for the licensed operator community once the market reaches maturity, highlighting why operators are evaluating the opportunity at an early stage.
Accel’s Positioning and Timeline Expectations
Based on its existing Illinois operations, Accel said it expects a Chicago VGT market could begin generating revenue for the company as early as the third or fourth quarter of 2026. This timeline is dependent on the completion of legislative approval, regulatory development, and implementation processes, with revenues expected to ramp up gradually over time.
The company believes it is well positioned to participate, pointing to its balance sheet strength, operating infrastructure, and route management capabilities. Accel added that capital deployment decisions will depend on customer acquisition rates and final regulatory requirements.
As Chicago’s VGT framework continues to take shape, Accel said it will monitor developments closely and update investors as appropriate. iGaming News Today observes that the pace and structure of regulatory decisions will be critical in determining how quickly operators can move from evaluation to execution.
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