JB Pritzker won more than $1 million while gambling in Las Vegas, tax filings show
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, one of the wealthiest politicians in the country, took home about $1.4 million in gambling winnings from a Las Vegas casino last year, according to newly released tax documents.
A copy of the governor’s 2024 tax filing shows the windfall, which his campaign has also confirmed.
It reportedly came from a vacation trip to Nevada with his wife, MK Pritzker, and close friends.
Pritzker's windfall in Las Vegas vacation
The $1.425 million in gambling winnings was accompanied by $4.2 million in capital gains, $3.9 million in dividends, and $800,000 in taxable interest, as per the Pritzkers' federal filing.
According to a spokesperson for Pritzker, the casino winnings were accumulated over several days of play while the governor was on vacation last year.
They also added that the governor complied with all the financial disclosure laws.
The governor has stated that he will donate the money to charity, according to a campaign aide.
The filing also showed that Pritzker and his wife reported a total income of almost $10.7 million in 2024, a reflection of their investments, business holdings, and other earnings.
This is also triple of the roughly $2.8 million they reported back in 2023.
Pritzker's gambling details emerge amid clash with Trump
The timing of the tax revelation comes as Pritzker emerges as one of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken Democratic critics, particularly on immigration enforcement.
In recent weeks, Pritzker has clashed with the White House over federal immigration operations that have led to hundreds of arrests in Chicago and nearby areas.
During a press briefing on October 7 at the Oval Office, Donald Trump said, "Chicago can be very very safe, and it's got to be very safe... You say, why is it that a governor wouldn't accept free help?... I mean, regardless, whether it's National Guard, or the Military, or anybody."
He continued, "I mean, if women are r***d and beaten and knocked to hell, and the same with men, where they have been shot all over the place in large numbers."
Trump then took a jab at Pritzker and said, "We had a week in Chicago where 11 people were murdered and 38 people were shot, and then we have a governor get up and say, 'It's safe, we can handle it.' He can't handle it, he's an incompetent guy."
