Illinois Casinos Under Fire Over Alleged Mob-Linked Contractors

After allegations, three prominent Illinois casinos are facing scrutiny for possibly hiring contractors with known ties to organized crime. Currently under investigation for employing a company that reportedly has long-standing connections with Chicago’s criminal underworld, the Illinois Gaming Board is looking into the situation at Bally’s Casino Chicago. Still, state officials are remaining tight-lipped about whether penalties will be issued. 

Although a shocking revelation, this isn’t the first time an Illinois casino has encountered trouble over such connections. Being the largest penalty the board has handed out in recent memory, Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin was fined $3.2 million in 2003. The fine was a result of a contract with a company linked to the Bastone family. Governor JB Pritzker and members of his family were part-owners at the time. Currently, Pritzker no longer holds a stake, but he does have the power to appoint members to the Gaming Board. 

This news story highlights the increased scrutiny physical casinos are facing. For these reasons, many players are choosing digital options that come with more transparency and tighter oversight. Platforms like the online poker sites reviewed for licensing and player protection attract users who value both safety and entertainment. From secure banking to verified game fairness, these platforms emphasize reliability. This has helped make them an appealing alternative to some land-based venues that seem to be built with the wrong connections. 

The current controversy started after a Chicago Sun-Times reporter noticed dumpsters at Bally’s River West construction site marked with the name D&P Construction Co. Inc. The company, reportedly tied to the DiFronzo family, wasn’t on the casino’s approved vendor list. Construction came to a halt shortly after. The dumpsters were quietly removed, and Bally’s has remained silent on the issue since.

These aren’t isolated problems. In 2016, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines paid $1.65 million to settle similar accusations. They had hired a company run by Richard “Rick” Simon, a former police officer with well-documented ties to figures in organized crime. The decision to contract with Simon’s firm triggered an investigation, and the casino ultimately agreed to the fine without admitting wrongdoing.

Illinois law is pretty strict about these matters. The state prohibits gaming operators from associating with people known for criminal backgrounds or “unsavory reputations.” These rules are meant to keep the industry clean and to protect public confidence in gambling as a regulated activity. Violations don’t just result in fines. Instead, licenses themselves can be put at risk.

If Bally’s is penalized, it’ll likely fall somewhere between the sanctions handed to Grand Victoria and Rivers. The decision might depend on whether regulators think the hire was a careless oversight or something more serious. Either way, the outcome could shape how contractors are vetted in future projects across the state.

It’s also worth noting that Pritzker now governs the very body deciding Bally’s fate. Although his administration has distanced itself from the casino’s past connections, observers are watching to see whether the Gaming Board applies its rules evenly, especially in high-profile cases like this one.

This isn’t the only time the Gaming Board has issued major penalties. Last year, it fined Accel Entertainment $1 million for offering illegal inducements to businesses using their gaming terminals. Other cases include fines against Hollywood Casino for marketing to individuals who had voluntarily banned themselves from gambling through a state exclusion program.

Right now, Bally’s is operating out of a temporary site at the old Medinah Temple in Chicago. It has brought in more than $52 million in gross receipts this year, making it the fifth-highest among Illinois casinos. Leading the list is Rivers Casino, with over $209 million reported. Those numbers highlight how valuable these operations are (and why the stakes of maintaining regulatory compliance are so high).

Ultimately, gamblers want to know that the places where they spend money are being run by the book. That goes for casinos downtown as well as online casinos that now serve millions of users looking for secure, transparent ways to play. For any casino (new or established), who you hire and how you run your business can’t be separated from the trust you build with the public.

The Gaming Board hasn’t set a timeline for its ruling, but the message is already coming through: oversight isn’t just paperwork. It’s a matter of accountability. Whether Bally’s ends up fined or cleared, the case serves as a pointed reminder that nothing about the casino business escapes notice anymore, not even the name on a dumpster.

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