Review: How are things at lllinois’ Hollywood Casino Aurora?

Gaming America on the move: Big things come in small packages at this casino.

Walking into North Aurora, Illinois’ Hollywood Casino Aurora brought one word to my mind – small.

But this Chicagoland casino proved that size does not always matter. The amount of entertainment, games, food and bar offerings available to its guests was impressive.

Hollywood Casino Aurora, owned and operated by Penn Entertainment, packs in a large amount of entertainment in its compact space. Though the casino floor was a bit smaller than other casinos in the Chicagoland area, like Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, this gaming area contained a large variety of games for players of all stripes.

Both high rollers and those who want to play with smaller bankrolls will feel right at home in this casino.

Poker players will not have any trouble finding their game of choice in this downtown North Aurora casino. The destination’s live poker room gives players a chance to win at Texas Hold’em and the Bad Beat Jackpot.

The casino offers special deals for players as well. Penn offers new members $25 in free play for signing up for the Penn Play rewards program with a valid email address.

Hollywood’s gaming floor features 20 table games and more than 1,000 slot machines, including an “old school slots” section. Fans of the classic, three-reel, one-line slots will have no shortage of games to choose from in this heartwarming corner of the casino.

Among the titles available in the old-school area were Triple Double Stars and the basic version of Double Diamond, along with several of its variations.

Hollywood offers a variety of slot aficionado favorite as well. Fans of the Buffalo series, Dragon Link or the Wicked Wheel slot games will have no trouble finding a seat at several versions of these titles.

The staff at this casino was warm and friendly, always a plus when visiting an entertainment venue for the first time.

When it comes to food and beverage options, this location did not disappoint with its list of choices. Hollywood’s dining selections include Fairbanks Steakhouse, Penalty Box Sportsbook & Bar, Take Two Deli and Slice.

Again, a wide variety for a smaller casino.

Even if you pass on gambling during your visit, Hollywood offers other entertainment options. Aurora Pro DJs host karaoke every Monday night from 7:30PM to 10:30PM.

In short, the casino floor per square foot offered more than one might expect when walking in for the first time. Hollywood gets five stars for its efforts to pack in as much entertainment as possible and for making the most of its space.

Hollywood Casino Aurora is located along the Fox River. Penn broke ground last year on a new site for this destination. Hollywood’s current location will continue to operate under its normal business hours until construction on the new casino is complete.

Penn said it expects the new building project will take roughly two years to finish.

The company also recently launched ESPN Bet, its US sportsbook, which offers sports fans access to “custom content identity to live across the entire ESPN ecosystem, inclusive but not limited to in-app, digital, social and programming.”

The brand’s formation is a result of a recent partnership between Penn Entertainment and ESPN. Penn Entertainment rebranded its existing sportsbook, which is currently licensed in 16 US states, to form the ESPN Bet name.

Overall, this casino is a must-stop for those traveling through the Windy City.

Laura Mack

Visit Profile

Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.