The venue you are asking about no longer operates as a racetrack
The question about slot machines at Arlington Park Racetrack meets a harder fact first: the property ceased racing operations and the site has been sold for redevelopment. Any answer about what machines sit on that floor today has to start from that closure, not from a current gaming floor.
No documented facility figures exist for this venue in the reference material this article draws on. That means no machine count, no floor area, no table count, and no opening year can be stated here. What can be stated is the structural reason a racetrack in Illinois would or would not have slot machines, and where the authoritative current answer lives.
What a racetrack is, versus what a racino is
A racetrack is a venue built around pari-mutuel wagering on live horse races. A racino is a racetrack that also operates casino-style gaming machines, typically slot machines and sometimes video poker or electronic table games. The two are not the same licence category, and a venue can be one without ever becoming the other.
Whether a given racetrack may add slot machines depends on the gaming law of the state where it sits. Some states authorise racetrack gaming through a separate licence or an amendment to the racing licence. Others do not authorise it at all. The presence of a horse track tells you nothing by itself about the presence of slots.
| Venue type | Primary activity | Gaming machines | Licensing path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racetrack | Live horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering | Not part of the core licence | Racing commission or board |
| Racino | Racing plus casino-style gaming | Authorised where state law provides for them | Racing licence plus separate gaming authorisation |
| Standalone casino | Casino gaming only | Core part of the licence | Gaming authority or commission |
Why Arlington Park specifically did not have slot machines
Arlington Park operated as a Thoroughbred racing venue in Arlington Heights, Illinois. For most of its operating life, Illinois law did not authorise slot machines at that racetrack. The venue's documented identity was as a racing facility, not as a racino, and no reference source records a slot floor there.
That does not mean the question was unreasonable. Illinois has repeatedly debated expanding gaming at racetracks, and other states have converted tracks into racinos. But a debate or a proposal is not a machine on a floor. The factual record for Arlington Park shows racing, not slots.
The property has been sold and the racing operation ended
The racetrack closed, and the land was sold for redevelopment. The buyer's stated plan involved demolition and a new use for the site, not the continuation of racing or the addition of gaming machines. Any question about slot machines at Arlington Park is therefore a question about a venue that no longer exists in its racing form.
This is the single most important fact for a reader planning a trip. A search result or an old map may still show the racetrack name, but the venue behind that name is gone. No current gaming floor exists to visit.
How Illinois structures racetrack gaming
Illinois gaming law is set by the state legislature and administered by a state gaming board and a separate racing board. The gaming board oversees casino and video gaming licences. The racing board oversees pari-mutuel wagering and track licences. A racetrack that wanted slot machines would need authorisation that crosses both worlds.
The state has, at different times, authorised casino licences and video gaming terminals in licensed establishments. Whether a specific racetrack site ever received a gaming authorisation is a matter of public record held by the state gaming board. That record, not a general article, is where a reader confirms the current status of any Illinois venue.
What to confirm before you go
Because this venue is closed, the most useful confirmation is not about slot machines but about whether any visit is possible at all. Check the current status of the property before travelling. The channels that hold the authoritative answer are:
- The Illinois Gaming Board's published list of authorised gaming locations, which names every venue currently authorised to operate gaming machines in the state.
- The Illinois Racing Board's published materials on pari-mutuel wagering and track licences.
- Local government records for Arlington Heights, which document the redevelopment approvals and current land use for the former racetrack site.
- The property owner's or developer's published project materials, which state the planned use of the land.
None of these channels is quoted here, and no phone number or address is supplied in this article. The reader finds each through a direct search of the agency name or the development project name.
Why old references still mention the racetrack
Arlington Park was a prominent racing venue for decades, and a large volume of published material refers to it. Old articles, maps, directories and travel guides may still describe the racetrack as an operating venue. Those references are not current facts. They describe a point in time before the closure and sale.
When a reader sees a reference to slot machines at Arlington Park, the likely sources are one of three things: a proposal that was never enacted, a confusion with a different Illinois venue that does have gaming machines, or an outdated page that has not been corrected. None of those is evidence of a slot floor at the closed racetrack.
How to verify any racetrack's gaming status
The method works the same for any venue. First, confirm the venue still operates. Second, confirm what licence category it holds. Third, check the state gaming authority's published list of authorised gaming locations. Fourth, check the venue's own published facility information.
The state gaming authority is the definitive source for whether a location is authorised to operate slot machines. A venue that is not on that list is not an authorised gaming location, regardless of what a third-party site says. This is a structural fact about how gaming authorisation is published, not a legal opinion about any specific venue.
| Question | Where the answer lives | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Does the venue still operate? | Property owner or local government records | A closed venue has no current gaming floor |
| What licence does it hold? | State racing board or gaming board | Racing and gaming are separate authorisations |
| Is it authorised for slot machines? | State gaming authority's published list | The definitive current record |
| What machines are on the floor? | Venue's own published facility information | Counts change with rebuilds and replacements |
The difference between a closed venue and an unanswered question
This article can answer the structural question: Arlington Park was a racetrack, not a racino, and no documented slot floor existed there. It can also answer the current-status question: the venue closed and the site was sold. What it cannot do is describe a current gaming floor, because no such floor exists.
A reader who wants to know where slot machines are available in Illinois should start from the state gaming board's published list of authorised locations. That list is the single source that resolves the question for every venue in the state, including any that may have opened after this article was written.
FAQ
Did Arlington Park Racetrack ever have slot machines?
No documented reference source records slot machines at Arlington Park. The venue operated as a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Illinois law did not authorise slot machines at that racetrack during its operating life. Proposals were discussed at various times, but a proposal is not a machine on a floor.
Is Arlington Park Racetrack still open?
No. The racetrack ceased racing operations, and the property was sold for redevelopment. The buyer's stated plan involved demolition and a new use for the site. Any travel plan built around visiting the racetrack should be checked against the current status of the property before any trip is made.
Where can I find slot machines in Illinois?
The Illinois Gaming Board publishes a list of every location authorised to operate gaming machines in the state. That list is the definitive current record. It names each authorised venue and is updated as locations open, close, or change status. Start there rather than with a third-party directory.
Play responsibly
Gambling should be treated as paid entertainment, never as a way to earn income or recover losses. 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738)
18+ or 21+ depending on where you are; follow the minimum age that applies to you.
This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.