Since the implementation of the Video Gaming Act, authorizing bars, restaurants, truck stops and other locations to have Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs), the State of Illinois has realized significant revenue over a relatively short period of time.
Let’s look at one sign of the sheer amount of growth in this industry – Net Terminal Income. Net Terminal Income (“NTI”) is the amount of money put into a VGT minus the winnings paid out to players. In other words, it is the amount of revenue produced after winnings that is split amongst the State, municipality, Terminal Operator, Location, and the company that runs the central communications system to which all VGTs are connected. The NTI in October 2012, the first full month of video gaming operations, was $1,388,400.29. Comparatively, the NTI in December 2017 was $115,519,937.03. In just over five years, this industry has grown exponentially and produced substantial revenue for the State.
You might be wondering how this information can be found. There’s a wealth of information regarding gambling revenue on the Illinois Gaming Board’s (“IGB”) website, which can be accessed through Accel’s website.
The IGB is the State of Illinois agency that regulates certain gaming activity within the State, including video gaming and riverboat gambling. Its website is updated frequently and is available for all to browse. From this link, you can find monthly video gaming revenue reports broken down by municipality or individual location, as well as statewide. You can also download annual reports which detail financial information on both the video gaming and riverboat gambling industries.
With information this transparent (and free!) it’s easy to see the benefits of video gaming and track your business’ revenue against a competitor.