Chicago seeks developer to open city’s first casino by 2025 By: Associated Press April 22, 2021 11:01 am Karen Lingermuth, of Niles, Illinois, plays the slots in July 2011 during a special VIP event at the Rivers Casino in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois. Chicago is taking a big step toward building its long-awaited first casino. (Mark Welsh/Daily Herald via AP, File) By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago is laying its cards on the table and officially seeking bids to build the first casino in the country’s third-largest city. City leaders want a “world-class” resort that’ll draw locals and tourists while boosting Chicago’s finances, but several steps remain.