(CHICAGO) — Bally’s temporary casino in Chicago refused to pay a $1,250 jackpot to an asylum seeker after he hit the slot-machine win on December 20, 2025, citing his immigration status and the identification he presented, reports on January 1, 2026 said.
What happened at the casino
The asylum seeker, identified only as “Nick,” said the denial felt “discriminatory,” pointing to his lawful presence in the United States while his asylum case remains pending.
Nick had previously won 11 jackpots at the same River North location without problems, the reports said. This time, however, the casino declined to release the winnings tied to the Dec. 20 slot payout.
Bally’s Chicago has refused to provide its specific written policy regarding “limited-term” IDs to the media, and it had not paid the winnings as of January 2, 2026, the reports said.
Identification and REAL ID context
Nick’s dispute centered on his identification. He presented a legitimate limited-term REAL ID, issued in Illinois to certain non-citizens with proper documentation and valid for the duration of their authorized stay.
The use of a limited-term REAL ID has become a sharper line in day-to-day transactions since the Department of Homeland Security began full enforcement of the REAL ID Act on May 7, 2025, a move affecting domestic air travel and other federal identification checks.
“REAL ID helps ensure that travelers are who they say they are and prevents fraud by criminals, terrorists, and illegal aliens,” Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said on that date, according to the summary.
Elihu Feustel, described as a gaming expert in the reports, said a limited-term REAL ID should generally work for cashing a slot payout. A REAL ID—even a limited-term one—is “normally sufficient to cash in a jackpot anywhere in the country,” he said.
Gaming, tax rules, and why the payout was contested
Gaming and tax rules shaped the casino’s handling of Nick’s Dec. 20 win. Under Illinois Gaming Board regulations and IRS rules cited in the summary:
- A jackpot of $1,200 or more triggers a W-2G tax form.
- That W-2G filing requires verification of the winner’s Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
Because Nick’s jackpot was $1,250, the casino faced the $1,200 reporting threshold in effect when the win occurred. That threshold can add documentation checks and tax reporting steps that do not apply to smaller payouts.
Keep copies of your ID, payout receipt, and any denial communications. If refused, file a formal complaint with the Illinois Gaming Board and document time, date, and witnesses to support your claim.
A scheduled rule change altered the reporting threshold timing:
| Effective date | Slot reporting threshold |
|---|---|
| Dec. 20, 2025 (date of win) | $1,200 |
| Jan. 1, 2026 (scheduled change) | $2,000 |
Nick’s Dec. 20 jackpot therefore fell under the earlier, lower trigger.
The reports did not describe which tax identification number Nick provided at the casino, but they said the casino tied the refusal to his immigration status and the nature of his identification.
Regulatory and policy backdrop
The dispute comes as federal immigration policy tightened around asylum processing. On December 2, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0192, which includes an agency directive affecting asylum cases.
Key points from the memorandum:
- Immediate action: Place a hold on all Forms I-589 (Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal), regardless of nationality, pending a comprehensive review.
- Wider scope: Re-review previously approved benefits for many who entered after January 20, 2021.
- Title: “Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries.”
The memorandum is procedural and internal to benefit adjudications, but the summary placed the Chicago incident in a climate where asylum seekers face greater uncertainty in everyday transactions that hinge on identification and documentation.
Points of conflict and public questions
The gap between the ID’s typical acceptance and Bally’s refusal has raised questions about how private businesses apply identification rules when customers are non-citizens with time-limited documents, and how those practices intersect with:
- State gaming regulations
- Federal immigration procedures
- Tax reporting obligations
The reports framed the casino’s decision as a potential conflict point between state-regulated gaming payouts and a broader federal shift toward tougher scrutiny of immigration benefits, including asylum applications.
In Illinois, limited-term REAL IDs are valid for the duration of authorized stay and can be issued to asylum seekers with proper documentation, the summary said. The casino dispute tested whether that ID would be treated the same as other REAL IDs for a regulated payout that triggers tax reporting.
The W-2G threshold remains a practical pressure point for casinos because a qualifying win requires paperwork and verification steps, and errors can have regulatory consequences. The reports cited Illinois Gaming Board regulations and IRS rules for the $1,200 trigger and the W-2G requirement.
Human impact and reactions
Nick’s account, as described in the reports, adds a human dimension to the policy changes. He said the refusal was “discriminatory,” and he said his asylum case is pending while he is living in the U.S. legally.
Feustel’s view that a limited-term REAL ID is “normally sufficient to cash in a jackpot anywhere in the country” underscored the unusual nature of the refusal as described in the reports, and it left Nick without the $1,250 he said he won.
The reports did not say whether Nick had filed a complaint with the Illinois Gaming Board or pursued legal action, but they described the episode as a potential legal conflict point discussed by gaming observers.
Where this fits in broader trends
- DHS’s full enforcement of REAL ID has made compliant identification more central to travel and access to certain federal facilities, increasing the emphasis on fraud prevention and security.
- The USCIS memorandum’s hold on asylum applications and broader re-reviews introduces additional vetting and identity scrutiny that can affect everyday transactions for asylum seekers and other immigrants with time-limited documents.
Setting and wider implications
Nick’s Dec. 20 jackpot came at Bally’s temporary casino in River North, a high-traffic area with tourists and locals. In that environment, ID checks can become flashpoints, especially when state rules, federal standards and business policies overlap.
For asylum seekers and other immigrants with time-limited documents, the episode reflects how access to money, services and routine transactions can depend on whether clerks treat limited-term IDs as sufficient in practice—even when they are legitimate and compliant.
Bally’s Chicago declined to share its written policy on limited-term IDs with the media, leaving the public basis for its refusal unclear beyond references to Nick’s immigration status and his identification.
“Discriminatory,” Nick said of the refusal.
Bally’s Chicago is under scrutiny for refusing to pay a $1,250 slot jackpot to an asylum seeker. The winner, Nick, provided a valid limited-term REAL ID, but the casino cited policy issues related to his status. This dispute highlights the intersection of state gaming laws, IRS reporting requirements, and tightening federal immigration policies that have placed a hold on many asylum benefit reviews.
