ICYMI: Despite Regulation, Illinois Neighborhood Slot Machines Fueling Surge in Burglaries

In case you missed it – Illinois is currently facing the consequences of legalizing neighborhood slot machines, and the results are clear: despite regulation, the burglaries, theft, and public safety risk has only grown worse.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times report, burglaries at businesses with video gambling terminals (VGTs) – the slot-like gambling machines that resemble “skill” games in Virginia – are soaring.

Storefronts operating them were burglarized 473 times in 2025 – up from 358 in 2024 – and before the first half of 2026 was even over, officials had already recorded a whopping 500+ burglaries, with nearly 50 cases involving losses of $10,000 or more and a total of more than $1.5 million stolen.

Regulating these machines doesn’t eliminate the risks they pose to communities. Criminals looking to make a quick buck are not deterred by whether these machines are legal or regulated – they are simply following the money.

Proponents of “skill” games in Virginia often claim legalizing and regulating these machines would bring them under control and reduce the problems associated with them, but the results from Illinois demonstrate quite the opposite: More targets and more robberies, all the while leaving local businesses to clean up the mess.

Virginia has made the right choice before. Continuing to keep these machines out protects our communities, our businesses, and the integrity of the Commonwealth.