Bally’s Has Finally Opened the Temporary Casino in Chicago

How would you feel playing at a new stage in a new city? You would have expected that Bally’s would show some jitters before opening its casino floor for the first time for Chicagoans. However, it was the city that was nervous about the new casino.

For the first time in all its 190 years, Chicago finally got its first casino. This must have left residents nervous and confused about what to do in a casino. Yet, this did not stop Bally’s from delivering on its promise.

The casino operator revealed hundreds of slot machines and table games at the Medicah Temple. This provided Chicagoans with sufficient opportunity to play any game of skill or luck. Yet, the city decided to take it slow.

Slow with Their First Casino

Celebrities, dignitaries, and professional players are fast to attend the first legal establishment in their city or state. But that was not the case with Bally’s Chicago casino.

Ideally, foot traffic at the Medinah Temple was typical. However, you could detect a sense of hesitation. This is not to say that casino guests were afraid.

On the contrary, all three casino floors were mostly full of players. You could tell most of these players played casually. They did not execute tips or strategies while playing games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

What’s more, most players sat at low buy-in games while higher buy-in tables saw little to no traffic. Meanwhile, dealers made sure to explain different games to guests.

Yet, guests felt more aligned with the bars on the first and third floors. This made sense because Chicagoans are more familiar with bars than casinos.

Fortunately, some players were jumping from one slot machine to the next. Ideally, these players hoped to cash out their dream rewards or lose their money trying. They did not even consider anything in choosing a machine.

According to one player, she just picked a machine because she had a feeling about it. All in all, players seemed to enjoy their selected slot machines on Saturday night, September 9, 2023.

Some Hitches

The first-time guests at the Medinah Temple casino looked like it was their first time at a gambling facility. They seemed like they were learning to play casino games.

On the other hand, Bally’s employees were the opposite. They acted professionally and friendly and ensured games ran seamlessly.
The casino operator also maintained several features of the Medinah Temple as promised. The casino retained the stained glass accents, among other things. However, not everything was perfect on the first night at the Chicago casino.

For instance, the Medinah Café was still closed. This is one of three eateries at the casino. Also, the sportsbook was not operational.
According to Illinois law, Bally’s is not ready to operate the retail sportsbook. This also means that the adjacent venues are limited to coming soon signs.

Another thing that was not perfect was the elevators; they were not operating between floors. This limited differently-abled people like those using wheelchairs. Moreover, even those who could walk were left to navigate traffic patterns using their devices.

In fact, it took some luck for players to traverse the floors. One could look at this as a success for Bally’s because the floors had enough traffic. However, if this were to continue, it might not be a good experience for guests.

More people are likely to visit the casino in the next three years. In fact, Bally’s hopes to see as many players on its floors as it saw on Saturday. Meanwhile, Chicagoans can use this opportunity to learn how to navigate the gambling floor before the permanent casino opens in three years.

Last Updated on September 12, 2023 by Ryan