Politics
Dem Governor Rakes In $1.4 Million, Credits Blackjack Winnings
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and his wife reportedly took home nearly $10.7 million in taxable income last year, including roughly $1.43 million in gambling winnings from Las Vegas.
The couple raked in nearly three-times their reported income in 2023, 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 after reviewing tax returns released by the governor’s campaign Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Pritzker’s office said the governor had “winnings and loses from a casino” in Las Vegas, though he did not provide additional details on which casino or which games he received the winnings from.
Pritzker, who is currently seeking a third term as governor and has long been rumored to be eyeing a presidential bid in 2o28, is worth an estimated $3.9 billion, according to Forbes. The family’s wealth stems from the Hyatt Hotels Corp family fortune, as Pritzker’s uncle, Jay, founded the company in 1957.
The governor later announced that he would be donating the winnings to charity.
“I went on vacation with my wife, with some friends. I was incredibly lucky. You have to be to end up ahead, frankly, going to a casino anywhere — it was in Las Vegas — and I like to play cards,” Pritzker told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.
During Pritzker’s tenure, the gambling industry has thrived in Illinois. The governor has legislation legalizing sports gambling not long after he took office in 2019, and has authorized six new casinos, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Fox Business noted that the Pritzker family has long had ties to the casino industry. Prior to 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.
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.
