Rivers Casino fined $2 million for mishandling promotions, breaking rules
The owner of Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, the most-visited gambling floor in Illinois, has been fined $2 million for mishandling promotions for its patrons and breaking rules in hiring a firm to clean the casino, according to a complaint by regulators.
The Illinois Gaming Board leveled the fine after its investigators accused the casino of not following proper bidding procedures in picking United Service Company to clean parts of the casino in 2011, then later backdating a contract signed in 2014.
In addition, the board accused the casino of promoting a $100,000 new-member giveaway that hadn't been approved by regulators and, later, allowing someone to enter to win a $250,000 giveaway after the promotion had already been closed.
At a public meeting, Gaming Board Chairman Don Tracy called the $2 million fine "obviously a very significant fine."
"This was not a one-time slip up relative particularly to the promotions," he said.
The company says it's reviewing the complaint.
"As this is an ongoing administrative matter, we are limited in our ability to comment. Rivers has a deep commitment to compliance and we strive to continuously improve our culture of compliance," a statement from Rush Street Gaming says. "We are reviewing the IGB's concerns carefully and will continue to fully cooperate with the Gaming Board to resolve this administrative matter."
Rivers Casino opened in 2011 and has been by far the state's biggest gambling palace by both revenue and visits since.
Through the first six months of the year, Rivers had grossed $215 million in receipts from nearly 1.7 million visitors. Compare that to $93.6 million from about 754,000 visitors at Illinois' next-biggest casino, Harrah's in Joliet.