<p>Bally’s has hired former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's law firm to help potentially sue Chicago for violating the casino host agreement that she negotiated as mayor — a suit that would be based on the city’s decision to legalize video gambling terminals.</p><p>“We are pleased to have built an excellent and knowledgeable team here in Chicago. As we ramp up efforts to protect our investment in the city, we have also brought on the strategic counsel of RKF Global PLLC, where former Mayor Lightfoot is a partner,” Bally’s said in a statement.</p><p>Lightfoot refused to comment on her surprise involvement in Bally’s long-threatened legal challenge, which was first disclosed by Crain’s Chicago Business.</p><p>The $16.6 billion 2026 budget <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/12/23/mayor-brandon-johnson-city-council-alternate-budget" target="_blank" >approved by a City Council </a>majority lifted the Chicago ban on video gambling and assumed Chicago would generate $6.8 million by licensing newly legalized <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/09/16/video-gaming-in-chicago-proposal-anthony-beale-brandon-johnson" target="_blank" >video gambling terminals</a> across the city. Bally's, which is building a permanent casino in the River West neighborhood, strongly opposes legalized video gambling in the city.</p><p></p><p>David Greising, president and CEO of the Better Government Association, branded Lightfoot’s involvement "a pretty bald conflict of interest." His reading of the city's ethics ordinance is that the former mayor "can't assist an employer or client on a contract over which they had substantial managerial responsibility for the life of that contract."</p><p>“She is being hired to represent a client challenging their allegations about an agreement that she negotiated when she was mayor.