Casino City’s Friday Five: Tax hike, jackpots and upgrades edition

After a controversial new budget was approved, online sports betting in Illinois is going to look a little different with a new tax placed on each bet. Before we get into those details, we also have jackpots out of Las Vegas and California, plans for the biggest sportsbook in Kentucky, and a California resort unveiling an upgrade.

Let’s begin with a massive win from the Las Vegas Strip:

5. $128,774 poker jackpot at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas
Luck was in the air at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas on 29 May, when a guest hit a $128,774 jackpot.

A player visiting from Indiana had played Mississippi Stud Poker for a little over an hour before hitting a royal flush on the Mega Progressive jackpot.

He plans to invest his winnings and return to Vegas with his newfound fortune, crediting his wife and friend as good luck charms.

Winner Winner!! ??
A lucky @CaesarsRewards member hit the Royal Flush on the Progressive Mega Jackpot for $128,774 ?? ??

21+Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER pic.twitter.com/uuOl5yUspY
— Planet Hollywood (@PHVegas) June 2, 2025

4. Thunder Valley Casino Resort slot player wins big
Thunder Valley Casino Resort announce that a lucky guest hit a massive $549,330 jackpot while playing in the California resort’s-new High Limit Slots Room.

The winning moment occurred on the popular Dragon Link slot machine, playing a $5.00 denomination. The guest, who has chosen to remain anonymous, was playing last Friday evening when the jackpot struck.

Congrats to this lucky guest with her $549,330 jackpot win on Dragon Link Golden Century! ?????? pic.twitter.com/pSfk5ntIf9
— Thunder Valley Casino Resort (@Thunder_Valley) May 31, 2025

3. California casino unveils major expansion and renovation
Earlier this week, Black Oak Casino Resort in Tuolumne, California, officially unveiled its extensive renovation and expansion of the hotel and guest areas.

The project introduces 48 new luxury suites, an overhaul of the existing 148 guest rooms, and a refreshed hotel exterior.

A standout feature of the expansion is the new lobby that connects the hotel to the casino.

Guests can also enjoy live entertainment on the new outdoor stage and catch major sporting events on a massive outdoor screen.

2. The Mint Gaming Hall at Kentucky Downs opening sportsbook
Circa Sports Kentucky is expanding its footprint with the debut of Kentucky’s largest retail sportsbook at The Mint Gaming Hall at Kentucky Downs in Franklin.

Opening this summer, the new 21 and over venue will feature an 80-foot-wide LED screen, a 31-foot-wide odds board and over 5,100 square feet of space.

“After operating in Kentucky for a year, introducing a sportsbook of this caliber to the region marks a significant milestone for Circa Sports,” said Derek Stevens, CEO of Circa Sports.

Of course, Circa Sports is also the owner and operator of the massive sportsbook and the amazing Stadium Swim at Circa Resort & Casino in Downtown Las Vegas.

?? #CircaSports will be opening the largest sportsbook in Kentucky this summer. ??

Coming to @mintgaminghall at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, this sportsbook boasts high-definition screens, a dedicated @VSiNLive broadcasting studio and an immersive gameday experience. Are you… pic.twitter.com/8tseJKwVwt
— Circa Sports (@CircaSports) June 5, 2025

1. Illinois announces mobile sports betting tax hike
Earlier this week, a new budget in Illinois was approved which will change how mobile sports betting will look in the state.

In the new budget, a 25-cent tax per wager will be applied to the first 20 million online sports wagers made every year, and after those 20 million, it will rise to 50 cents to each additional bet.

The Sports Betting Alliance is calling this move "discriminatory, punitive and constitutionally suspect.”

Below is the statement from the Sports Betting Alliance regarding the recent tax hike announcement in The Prairie State.

"For the second consecutive year, the Illinois legislature chose to balance its budget with a crippling tax on legal online sports betting operators and their million plus Illinois customers — this time with no warning and no consideration of the devastating impact this tax would have on the legal market.

Make no mistake, this discriminatory, punitive and constitutionally suspect tax increase on legal sportsbooks who have invested more than a billion dollars in the state will be destabilizing for regulated sports betting in Illinois. A per bet tax most penalizes small recreational bettors — many of whom are betting a single dollar or two. Under this legislation, these popular bets will get hit with a massive 25% or 50% tax on handle. Customers understand that they will be the ones to bear the cost of this new tax. That’s why Illinois customers sent more 76,000 emails and tweets to their representatives asking them to stop this discriminatory tax. With this change, lawmakers are essentially urging customers – and especially these small dollar bettors – to switch to unsafe and unregulated sportsbooks who defy state consumer protections and generate zero taxes for state priorities. These illegal operators are the big winners from Saturday’s vote.

It’s also extremely disappointing that the legislature chose to pass this tax and disregard the $1 billion in new revenue that a regulated and consumer-protected iGaming market would provide Illinois — allowing instead to let the current unregulated iGaming market that lacks any real consumer protections thrive.

This is not the end of this conversation. We will continue to fight this discriminatory tax alongside our customers – both right now in Illinois and in any state that considers these harmful tax changes in the future."

– Sports Betting Alliance