Illinois Gaming Board Chair Schmadeke to Step Down
Charles Schmadeke announced he will resign as Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) chair, effective July 1, after six years.
Schmadeke’s Exit After Six Years
Charles Schmadeke informed Gov. JB Pritzker, saying, “After two terms, it is time for me to call it a day.” He oversaw one of the nation’s biggest gaming expansions, implementing a 2019 law that legalized sports betting, added six new casino licenses, and expanded video gaming terminals (VGTs). “It proved to be very challenging,” he said, noting “substantial but not complete progress” on the expansion.
Schmadeke’s tenure saw Illinois’ casino count jump from 10 to 16, with new venues in Rockford, Danville, Williamson County, and suburban Cook County, plus temporary sites in Chicago and Waukegan. Sports betting launched in March 2020, just before COVID-19 hit, and Schmadeke’s team nimbly adapted by suspending in-person registration for mobile betting apps, fueling a market now second only to New York’s with 17 retail and 10 online sportsbooks.
VGTs, the state’s gaming powerhouse, grew to over 48,700 terminals, up 18,000 since 2018, generating $884.2 million in 2024 taxes. State gaming revenue soared from $757.5 million in 2018 to $1.5 billion last year.
Economic Impact and Legacy
The 2019 expansion wasn’t all smooth sailing. Only one “racino” (Fairmount Park) opened, with others stalled by regulatory or financial hurdles.
Still, Schmadeke praised the IGB’s “amazing staff” and board members for their “invaluable and nearly always correct” insights. He singled out Administrator Marcus Fruchter, dubbing him “Mr. Administrator” for his preparedness and collaboration.
Fruchter returned the praise, calling Schmadeke “unwavering in his commitment to gaming integrity” and a “great resource” during challenges like the pandemic and agency modernization.
Schmadeke’s leadership turned VGTs into a “lifeline” for bars, taverns, and local governments, which pocketed $152.4 million in 2024 tax shares. The gaming surge bolstered Illinois’ economy, with casinos and VGTs driving nearly 60% of the state’s gambling tax haul.
Yet, unfinished racino projects and Chicago’s permanent casino, still in planning, leave work for his successor. Fruchter believes “the people of Illinois are certainly better off” thanks to Schmadeke’s tenure.
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