Chicago Alders, Community Leaders Warn Video Gambling Terminals Could Bring Crime Concerns to Neighborhoods (Chicago, IL) – Several Chicago aldermen and community advocates are raising concerns about the expansion of video gambling terminals (VGTs) in the city, citing reports from suburban communities that have experienced an increase in criminal activity linked to the machines.
The warnings come after the Chicago City Council approved the permitting of VGTs as part of the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
Critics point to recent incidents in Oak Lawn and other south suburban communities where businesses with video gambling terminals have been targeted by burglars seeking cash stored inside the machines.
According to a Daily Southtown report, Oak Lawn officials have voiced growing concerns about public safety as thefts involving gaming terminals become more frequent.
“Someone’s going to get killed,” Oak Lawn Village Manager Tom Phelan said during a recent village board meeting. “Whether it be police, whether it be, God help us if it’s just innocent victims.”
Oak Lawn Police Chief Daniel Vittorio said burglaries involving video gaming terminals have become increasingly common throughout northern Illinois.
“There’s a lot of stuff that doesn’t make the news, or we may not report to our village boards, but it’s nightly where I’m getting emails from our midnight watch commanders of this town got hit,” Vittorio said.
Chicago Ald. Walter “Red” Burnett Jr. said the city should carefully consider the security implications of allowing VGTs in bars, restaurants and other businesses across Chicago neighborhoods.
“Bally’s temporary casino has hosted more than 2 million visitors since its opening, with no increase in crime in the surrounding neighborhood due to the high level of security presence at a single location,” Burnett said. “But with VGTs, which lack the same strong, embedded security measures that casinos provide, we’re likely to see heightened criminal activity associated with the movement of cash from thousands of small locations within wards.”
Ald. Maria Hadden echoed those concerns, arguing that city leaders must proactively address potential safety issues.
“As leaders, we have an obligation to show our residents that we are taking every step possible to keep our communities safe,” Hadden said. “Oak Lawn and other municipalities are proving that the public safety threats posed by VGTs are real, and we need to demonstrate to our constituents that we take them seriously.”
Community groups also voiced opposition to expanding video gambling in Chicago.
“It’s clear that our community does not want to deal with the kind of public safety threats created by VGTs that Oak Lawn and other towns are facing,” said John Bosca, chair of the Casino Advisory Council and a member of Neighbors of River West. “City Council can take action to stop this problem before it ever starts by preventing the proliferation of VGTs in Chicago neighborhoods.”
Supporters of the concerns note that while the City Council approved VGT permitting through the budget process, no additional public safety funding was approved specifically to address potential crime related to the machines.
Recent polling cited by opponents found that 47% of Chicago residents oppose allowing video gambling terminals in bars, restaurants and private businesses. According to the poll, opposition exceeded support among White, Black and Latino voters.
The debate over VGT expansion is expected to continue as city officials consider how and where the machines may be permitted throughout Chicago.
Chicago Alders, Community Leaders Warn Video Gambling Terminals Could Bring Crime Concerns to Neighborhoods
