Gambling in Illinois – Online Sports Betting, Mobile Apps & Casino Laws
Illinois casinos offer players a wide diversity of gambling. The racing industry is known to be the first to enter the gaming market. The Illinois gaming lottery is one of the first in the Midwest. There are also numerous high-end Illinois casinos and also video lottery, including Chicago casinos.
The state’s economy and smoking prohibition hurt the state’s gaming revenue in recent years. The state passed a casino smoking prohibition in 2008, before the Great Recession. This cut 20% off its betting revenue as smokers moved to border states where casinos allow smoking. Illinois got hit hard by the recession.
This kept the gaming revenue down for a lengthier period than other regions. The state stopped paying big lotto winners in 2015, due to a budget stalemate in the state legislature.
Accepts players from: United States
Updated: 19th June, 2025
Ranking for Illinois Casinos
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Illinois Casinos & Gambling
- Illinois legal Online gambling: Horseracing
- Year Gambling was regulated in Illinois: Lottery (1974), Horseracing (1927), Bingo (1983), Video Lottery (2012), Casinos (1991).
- Tax Revenue from Gambling: $1.1 billion
- Gambling Revenue: $3.8 billion
- Illinois legal Gambling Age:21 for casinos and video lottery and 18 for racing, lottery, and bingo.
Illinois Gambling Overview
What’s still illegal: real money online casino gaming and poker
Legal State Gambling Options:
Retail sports betting (land-based & mobile)
Riverboat casinos & VGTs in bars/restaurants
Horse racing and state lottery
Online Sports Betting in Illinois
- Legal since 2020 under the Illinois Sports Wagering Act
- Billions in betting handled; $1.7 b tax revenue generated in 2024
- Top licensed apps: FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, Circa Sports (new IL launch)
App Table:
| App | Illinois Launched | USP |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | 2020 | Intuitive UI, fast withdrawals |
| DraftKings | 2020 | Top parlays & boosts |
| Circa Sports | 2023 | High-limit live betting |
Online Illinois Gambling
Horseracing is one type of legal internet gaming in Illinois. Gamblers may make progressive deposits at sites such as TwinSpires, TVG, and BetAmerica. The Illinois Lottery sells tickets online. These include Mega Millions, Powerball, pick 3 and also Pick 4. Casino Players can purchase subscriptions for about 13, 26 or 52 weeks.
Steps to Claim a Free Spins Bonus
Claiming a free spins bonus is straightforward.
To help, we’ve created a simple guide:
- Find the right free spins offer for your playstyle.
- Visit the casino’s site or download their app.
- Complete the signup process with your details.
- If there’s a bonus code, enter it in the specified field.
- No deposit is needed to claim spins, but you may need to deposit to withdraw winnings.
- Explore the games and choose your favorites.
- Start playing!
Types of Live Illinois Gambling
Horseracing is the oldest type of live betting in Illinois. There is a total of seven racetracks available in Illinois. Racebooks are legal in Illinois. This is where punters can get off-track action.
The Illinois Lottery is the oldest in the country. lotto drawings and scratch-off tickets are spread by the Illinois Lottery. Lottos includes Lotto Extra Shot, LuckyDay Lotto, Powerball, and also Mega Millions.
Illinois casinos opened in 1991 and casino games were legal from the very first day of gambling. slots, poker, video poker, craps, blackjack, roulette, and table gaming games that use cards are also all legal in Illinois casinos.
Video poker and slots are spread in restaurants, bars, gas stations, and also charitable organizations. The best video poker casino game returns about 97.9%. There are over 4,500 video gambling establishments in Illinois.
List of Illinois Casinos
| CASINO | SIZE | ADDRESS | WEBSITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argosy Casino – Alton | 1,100 Slot Machines | 1 Piasa Street | www.argosyalton.com |
| Casino Queen – East St. Louis | 1,100 Slot Machines | 200 South Front Street | www.casinoqueen.com |
| Grand Victoria Casino – Elgin | 1,100 Slot Machines | 250 S. Grove Ave. | www.grandvictoriacasino.com |
| Harrah’s Casino – Joliet | 1,188 Slot Machines | 151 N. Joliet St. | www.caesars.com/harrahs-joliet |
| Harrah’s Metropolis Casino | 1,145 Slot Machines | 100 East Front Street | https://www.caesars.com/harrahs-metropolis |
| Hollywood Casino – Aurora | 1,160 Slot Machines | 49 W. Galena Blvd. | www.hollywoodcasinoaurora.com |
| Jumer’s Casino – Rock Island | 1,100 Slot Machines | 777 Jumer Dr. | www.jumerscasinohotel.com |
| Par-A-Dice Casino – East Peoria | 1,100 Slot Machines | 21 Blackjack Blvd. | www.paradicecasino.com |
| Rivers Casino – Des Plaines | 1,050 Slot Machines | 3000 S. River Rd. | www.riverscasino.com |
