Illinois governor JB Pritzker reportedly earned $1.43M from Las Vegas gambling winnings in 2024

Gretchen Morgenson
3 Min Read

Billionaire Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and his wife reportedly took home almost $10.7 million of taxable income last year, including about $1.43 million in gambling winnings from Las Vegas. 

The Democratic governor and first lady earned more than three times their 2023 income, fueled by the gambling winnings, $4.2 million in capital gains, nearly $3.9 million in dividends and over $800,000 in taxable interest, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, citing the 2024 income tax returns his campaign released Wednesday.

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A spokesperson for Pritzker’s campaign said he “had winnings and losses from a casino” in Las Vegas. However, they did not specify which games he played or where he won, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Pritzker, seeking a third term as governor and reportedly eyeing a presidential run, is worth an estimated $3.9 billion, according to Forbes.

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Under Pritzker, who first took office in 2019, gambling has expanded significantly across the Blue State. He signed legislation legalizing sports betting and authorized six new casinos, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

His wealth stems from the Hyatt Hotels Corp chain family fortune, according to Forbes.

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The Pritzker family has long had ties to the casino industry, and before being elected as governor, JB Pritzker invested in a company with a 1% stake in Elgin’s Grand Victoria Casino. His assets have since been in a blind trust to avoid conflicts of interest, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

In 2024, JB and MK Pritzker paid about $3.7 million in federal and $869,000 in state taxes, while donating $3.3 million to charity. Trusts benefiting him paid $30.2 million in federal and $4.5 million in Illinois taxes, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

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The Illinois Office of the Governor and a spokesperson for Pritzker’s campaign did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.

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