Penn Entertainment’s Hollywood Casino in Aurora, Illinois is moving from its longtime riverboat location to a new land-based facility expected to open in June, marking a significant transformation for one of the Chicago area’s most established gaming properties. The new casino is being built next to the Chicago Premium Outlets mall in Aurora, a few miles from the riverboat that has operated on the Fox River for decades.
Illinois passed legislation in 2019 authorizing the conversion of several riverboat casinos to land-based facilities, part of a broader gaming expansion bill that also created licenses for new casinos in Chicago and other parts of the state. Penn Entertainment, which has operated the Hollywood Casino Aurora brand for years, applied for and received approval to relocate the property under that framework. The new facility will retain the Hollywood Casino branding.
What the New Property Offers
The land-based facility will bring a substantially expanded experience compared to the riverboat, with a large gaming floor, multiple dining venues, an event space capable of hosting concerts and private events like weddings, and more amenities than the river-based location could accommodate. ABC7, which was given an early walkthrough of the facility, reported seeing racks of employee uniforms being prepared ahead of the anticipated opening date.
The outlet mall location is expected to attract a mix of day-trip casino visitors and shoppers already in the area, creating a combined destination that could draw from a wider catchment area than the waterfront location. Aurora is approximately 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, with solid highway access and proximity to suburban communities that provide a large potential customer base.
Illinois Gaming in 2026
The Hollywood Casino Aurora conversion is taking place against a complicated backdrop for the Illinois gambling industry. DraftKings closed its retail sportsbook at Wrigley Field in May, specifically citing Illinois’s high sports betting tax rate as the reason for the closure. The Illinois tax structure has been a recurring point of tension in the industry, with operators arguing that the state captures too large a share of revenue relative to other markets.
On the commercial casino side, the Aurora relocation represents a positive development — a major operator investing in a new facility and a permanent land footprint in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan markets. The opening will also bring new jobs to Aurora, where the casino has been a significant employer. Illinois bettors and gamblers can explore available options at Illinois sportsbooks for the online wagering landscape or compare casino apps if they prefer the digital alternative to in-person gaming while the new property prepares to open its doors.
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