Deputy Editor
The Illinois attorney general’s office announced charges earlier this week against three individuals alleged to have perpetrated a six-figure burglary scheme against businesses housing video gaming terminals (VGTs).
A rash of burglaries against such businesses has been an issue for at least a few years. It significantly intensified this year, with the rate of such crimes doubling through the first half of 2026.
Criminals would break into businesses housing gambling machines after they had closed. Sometimes, they would open up the machines and pilfer cash. Other times, they’d haul away entire machines and ATMs, “cashing out” at a different location under less of a time crunch. Chicago-area bars, restaurants, and other businesses housing the VGTs would be left to deal with not only the losses of machines and money, but sometimes broken windows, alarms, and other structural and security costs.
Now, Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office announced charges against a three-man crew that had been committing these crimes all the way up through July.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of an ongoing struggle between Chicago city government factions over the future of VGTs in the city proper. Despite the onset of the licensing process for VGTs in Chicago, they’ve yet to make their official debuts, as city licensing remains on hold.
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Three Charged in Chicago-Area VGT Burglaries
Raoul’s office announced charges against Devontay A. Brady (30, of Maywood), Anthony T. Shorter (23, of Bellwood), and Don. E Williams Jr. (20, of Chicago). According to the AG’s office, the three victimized businesses across a three-county area for more than $100,000. They allegedly committed the crimes from October 2025 through July 2026.
Police have arrested the former two, while Williams remains at large. All three face felony charges, including theft, burglary, and armed violence.
“These charges are the result of the IGB’s diligent, ongoing work to support the Illinois attorney general’s office and other law enforcement agencies statewide to hold individuals accountable for burglarizing Illinois gaming establishments,” said IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter in a press release. “I’m proud of our coordinated efforts. Together, we will continue to uphold the integrity and safety of Illinois gaming and bring criminals to justice.”
While law enforcement and prosecutors might be happy to bust this particular crew, the “more than a dozen” robberies they committed account for only a tiny slice of the surge in similar crimes. Records showed more than 500 such break-ins through early July. That staggering number showcases the issues that can occur when separating gambling games from highly secured and regulated casinos.
That very uptick in crime has been one of the main issues city lawmakers have grappled with as the fight over VGTs has raged since late last year.
Licensing Process on Hold Despite Chicago Legalizing VGTs
Chicago had opted out of allowing VGTs in the city, despite their immense presence in much of the rest of the state, including surrounding suburbs. Illinois is the biggest VGT market in the country, with almost 50,000 active machines.
That changed when the city council put language legalizing VGTs in the budget for 2026. Lawmakers pushing the VGTs as a fiscal fix (Illinois VGTs raked in $3 billion in revenue in 2025) were undoubtedly hoping the machines would be up and running by now, especially considering the state began awarding licenses to qualifying businesses months ago.
Hundreds of businesses have applied for licenses, and the state has already begun approving them.
However, the city is dragging its feet, as Mayor Brandon Johnson and his political allies try to reverse course on the VGTs’ legality. The local businesses that receive licenses can’t actually open their machines up for business without city approval.
Bally’s River West, which fears VGTs will cut into its projected revenue, is making noise about legal action against the city.
For now, the entire situation remains in a holding pattern, leaving Chicago-area businesses unsure when or if they’ll start collecting VGT revenue.
Image credit: Arvell Dorsey Jr./Flickr (license)
