Hayden Presides Over First Meeting As Illinois Gaming Board Chair

Dionne Hayden presided over her first Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) meeting Thursday after being elevated to chair by Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this month.

Hayden, who still requires confirmation by the Illinois Senate, is a corporate attorney who has served on the IGB since 2019. She is also assistant vice president, employee relations at CNA Insurance Company. Hayden began her career as a corporate litigator for McGuire Woods, LLP in Chicago, and she later joined Miller Canfield, PLC. She also served as senior legal counsel for Allianz, Global, Corporate & Specialty in their Chicago-based North American division.

She succeeded Charles Schmadeke, who stepped down July 1 after he oversaw a massive expansion of multiple gaming verticals in the state that included seven new casinos, the legalization of sports betting, and an increase of more than 16,000 video gaming terminals (VGTs) statewide to nearly 49,300.

Hayden’s opening remarks

“It’s a great honor for me to step into the role of chairperson,” Hayden said after Thursday’s meeting returned to open session. “I’d like to extend my sincere gratitude to Governor Pritzker for this appointment and his confidence as I step into this important position. I’d also like to acknowledge the exceptional service of our prior chairperson, Chip Schmadeke.

“I’ve sat on the board as a member since 2019. It’s been a very rewarding experience for me. During that time, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the dynamic growth experienced by the Illinois gaming industry. … As the incoming chairperson, I look forward to seeing that growth through by navigating the evolving landscape of Illinois gaming and addressing any challenges we meet along the way.”

Hayden now oversees an Illinois gaming industry that generated $1.68 billion in state tax revenue and another $285.1 million in local receipts in Fiscal Year 2025, with the final figures waiting on the release of June’s sports wagering statistics. Over $1.08 billion of that total tax revenue was generated by VGTs.

“She has always proven to be a thoughtful, prepared, engaged, and principled colleague and board member,” said IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter, who has worked with Hayden her entire tenure following his appointment in 2019. “Chairperson Hayden consistently demonstrated strong commitment to the rule of law and public service, adherence to the highest standards of integrity and ethics, and strong support for the IGB staff.

“I wholeheartedly congratulate Dionne, I’m very glad that you will remain on the board and I look forward to our continued collaboration in your new role.”

Getting down to business

The highlight item for Thursday’s agenda was Fairmount Park seeking an organizational gaming license. One of three horse racing tracks given the ability to expand into a racino with Pritzker’s gaming expansion bill in 2019, it is currently the only venue of the now two remaining offering casino gaming.

That, however, involved a lengthy process of fits and starts that did not gain traction until Accel Entertainment — a leading VGT terminal operator in the state — purchased Fairmount Holdings for $35 million last summer. Accel has since invested in the grounds, detailing some of those upgrades during its presentation Thursday, and has been operating with a temporary permit after being approved by the IGB to accept wagers in April.

Mark Phelan, the chief financial officer and president of US Gaming at Accel, led the presentation before giving way to Fairmount Park General Manager Vince Gabbert. The latter said the twice-weekly racing schedule was averaging nearly 2,500 in attendance, and the $13.2 million total handle was up approximately $4.5 million year-over-year.

“The opportunity to open a new property has really reinvigrorated a lot of us folks,” Gabbert said. “You can see the way the data of the customer service and customer interactions, both on race days and every gaming day, just what it means to the community.”

In its first 76 days of casino operations through June 30, Fairmount Park has generated $2.9 million in AGR — all via slots — which has led to $401,600 in tax revenue for the state and $200,800 for local communities.

Hayden inquired about Accel’s relationships with local community officials ahead of the construction work that will begin after the close of the racing schedule. She also asked about employee demographics and diversity in relation to the community, with Accel Senior Vice President of Operational Development Kate McMahon explaining Accel’s diversity may be slightly higher based on drawing employee interest from East St. Louis in Missouri, in addition to Collinsville, Edwardsville, and Belleville on the Illinois side of the state line.

In the end, the board voted 3-0 to award Fairmount Park a four-year license through July 2029.