Illinois Looks to Get Into The Online Casino Gaming Sector

BetMGM Illinois

BetMGM is one of the newest additions to the state's sports betting market. New users can claim $1,000 in risk-free bets by using the exclusive promo code ACTION.

Where to Gamble in Illinois?

There are ten riverboat casinos in Illinois you can choose from at the moment, while six more land-based casinos are in the making. The following is a list of a couple of riverboat casinos players have mostly opted for when looking for the best gaming experience.

Oregon

List of the Sweeps Casinos in Illinois

• Chumba Casino- The most popular in the lot

• LuckyLand Slots- Focuses primarily on slots.

• Funzpoints- Best for social media enthusiasts.

• Global Poker- For playing online poker

States Most Likely to Legalize Online Gambling

Unlike sports betting, the legalization of online casino and online poker in the US has been a slow grind. The legalization of online poker and casino began in 2013 when Nevada launched online poker, and New Jersey and Delaware launched online casinos and poker sites. Since 2013, only three other states have expressly joined them: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan.

With online poker and online casino, progress is about small victories, and the hope is that at least one of these states will pass legislation authorizing online gambling in the next 12 months.

• California
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Massachusetts
• Nevada
• New York

Land Based Casinos By States

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

IL sportsbook list: The breakdown

Despite an unaccommodating regulatory and tax structure, many top sportsbook companies have flocked to Illinois, or are seeking entry. Six physical sportsbooks take bets now, and more are on the way.

Here there are in no particular order.

Sports betting bill particulars

Illinois’ sports betting law didn’t turn out the way lawmakers initially envisioned. Politics played a huge role in the legalization of sports betting in Illinois, and stakeholders almost immediately referred to the bill as “not the best.”

Sports betting champions and state legislators Bob Rita and Mike Zalewski had to do a lot of horse-trading with Governor J.B Pritzker and his allies to get sports betting tacked onto a capital bill and eventually passed. That meant including a mandate for official league data, requiring in-person registration for the first 18 months, delaying the launch of stand-alone mobile platforms, banning betting in Illinois on the state’s collegiate sports teams, and including some tricky branding rules.

The legislation also includes a self-exclusion program for those with a gambling problem. By the end of it, stakeholders were happy to have sports betting in Illinois, along with the substantial tax revenue it will create, but had plenty to unpack.

Caesars

Caesars Sportsbook in Illinois was one of the very first to launch in the state back in September 2020. Partnered with Harrah's Metropolis, Caesars Metropolis is located in Metropolis, Illinois.

Caesars’ acquisition of William Hill online sports betting in 2020 for $3.7 billion was finalized in August 2021. This massive deal immediately took Caesars to the top of the industry. Caesars is a high-quality sportsbook and had been a steady name in gambling even before the Supreme Court's ruling allowing states to legalize online sports betting in 2018, thanks to its parent company’s portfolio of casinos across the US.

Caesars is constantly running great promotions for new users and has a solid rewards program for current users. Caesars app and website are easy to use, making it one of the best Illinois sportsbooks.

Five tribes propose building commercial casinos in Illinois

October 25, 2019

Illinois has authorized six new casinos to be licensed and built under the Rebuild Illinois Act signed into law by Gov. Pritzker on June 29, 2019. The six locations for these new casinos are Chicago, Danvillle, Rockford, South Suburbs, Walker's Bluff and Waukegan.

Casino applicants have submitted proposals to local governments for review and approval. All approved proposals will be forwarded this week to the Illinois Gaming Board for final approval and licensing. The Board may take up to one year to complete the process.

Among the many casino applicants are five Native American tribes which all own successful casino operations in other states. In Illinois they are seeking to build state-licensed commercial casinos rather than federally authorized Indian gaming casinos.

These are the tribes that have submitted casino proposals:

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has proposed a $300 million casino hotel in Matteson Village, a south suburb of Chicago. (See story)

Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin has proposed building a $300 million commercial casino and hotel on land it owns in Lynwood, Illinois, south of Chicago. (See story)

Seminole Tribe of Florida owns Hard Rock International, which has been approved by the Rockford City Council to build a $310 million casino hotel. (See story)

Potawatomi of Forest County, Wisconsin, has proposed building a casino in the City of Waukegan, Illinnois. (See story)

Poarch Creek Indians of Alabama, and owners of Wind Creek Hospitality has proposed building a $275 million casino about 26 miles south of Chicago in the communities of East Hazel Crest and Homewood. (See story)

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Illinois Lottery Games

The Illinois Lottery was founded in 1974 to raise money for the General Revenue Fund, but the law was changed in 1985 so that lottery proceedings could go to the Common School Fund instead. As is the case in most states where a lottery has been running for several decades, the number of games that can be played has increased over time.

The available range of games currently includes a variety of in-house draw games as well as the two big multi-state lottery games that Americans love: Powerball and Mega Millions.

Lottery tickets can be purchased from over 7,200 retail locations by anyone who is aged 18 or older. It is also possible to purchase lottery tickets online from the official Illinois Lottery website.

The main advantage of playing online – apart from the obvious convenience – is that tickets are personally associated with the purchaser, and can’t be lost or stolen. If your online ticket wins, you will be notified of the fact by email, just in case you forget to check the results yourself.

Safety & Licensing

The most important thing to consider when you are gambling online is that the site you are using is safe and holds all the appropriate federal and state licenses. We will never suggest a site that we aren't sure is 100% legitimate. We strongly recommend you never wager on offshore gambling sites and instead favor IL gambling apps in order to be protected in case of problems arising with your funds.

Illinois Online Gambling Sites Comparison

Can we Expect Online Casinos apps?

Yes, in all likelihood, a mob of casino apps would emerge once online casinos are legal in Illinois. Casino apps are the thing of the future, and the response casino apps are getting in the states of the US where online gambling is legal is phenomenal.

Casino apps would provide a diversified collection of online casino games that you can enjoy.

BEST IL ONLINE POKER SITE FOR FREE CRYPTO CHIPS

Blockchain Poker uses four unique cryptos for deposits, withdrawals, and poker gameplay: Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV), and eCash (XEC). Each of these cryptos has its own designated cash games and tournaments. Traffic is a bit light at times, but cash games up to mid-stakes tend to run with regularity.

Blockchain.Poker operates in any web browser, so whether you’re on a desktop, laptop, or mobile device you shouldn't have any issues playing poker. Visit Blockchain.Poker and you’ll get a few chips of each unique crypto to get started. In addition, you can trade in points earned through play for valuable rakeback payouts.

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Sweepstakes Casinos in Illinois

Sweepstakes casino sites may feel the same as an online casino site, but there are key characteristics that make it different - and legal in Illinois. Sweepstakes must be free to play (though buying options exist to improve chances), the final prizes must be handed out as advertised and the prizes must be awarded in the exact timeframe as was listed before the sweepstakes began. With Illinois sweepstakes casinos, users can obtain or purchase a different type of currency specific to the casino that can be used in those games. There are workarounds, but casinos can participate in legal online sweepstakes if they are careful about following all the rules.

What do we look for when evaluating operators for Illinois residents? – we keep our eyes peeled!

We expect that the best online casinos Illinois has to offer will soon be coming around. And when they do, you’ll know exactly how they got onto our recommended list of casinos. That said, we keep our eyes peeled to ensure that we only recommend the best online casinos and sportsbooks in the state. So let’s took a closer look at how we rate our recommended operators.

For starters, it took quite a while for online registration to become live in the state.

In the short term, however, their sports betting market wasn't poised to be the most bettor- or operator-friendly. There were time delays and legal complications that made it hard for larger national books and platforms to enter the market.

The Prairie State's original plan required in-person sign-ups, which made sports betting adoption less inclusive. However, having to jump through these hoops will soon be a thing of the past. The recent passing of HB 3136 has brought an end to on-site mobile sign ups, creating more flexibility for those wishing to bet on sports in IL.

Chicago Red Stars

The Chicago Red Stars is an incredible NWSL team playing at SeatGeek Stadium. It won the league championship in its inaugural 2013 season and added a second championship in 2017.

Grand Victoria Casino Elgin

The Grand Victoria Casino Elgin is a riverboat casino in Elgin, Illinois, United States, located about 40 mi west of Chicago. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment.

• Address: 250 S Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
• Phone: (847) 468-7000
• Website: https://www.grandvictoriacasino.com/

Harrah’s Joliet

Other areas to consider

Next, consider how professional the company is.  The best way to do this is by interacting with their customer service department.  Ideally, customer service should be able to resolve your questions and queries within a matter of minutes. If they fail to do this and unless it’s a fairly huge issue that needs a lot of back and forth, then it surely is a red flag and an indication of what you’re going to experience once you become a member of that online casino. So we’d advise you to steer clear.

If you enjoy mobile betting, then clearly the online operator must have legitimate mobile IL casino apps. If they do, download and install the app to test out the user experience and find out if it’s something you’re actually going to be able to use. Due to technology and continuous upgrades to operating software, mobile casino apps have evolved over the years and you can now experience all of the features and functionality of the desktop casino site delivered right to your compact smartphone. When all else fails, feel free to check back with Las Vegas how-to estate as we are constantly updating our websites to reflect the latest and most up-to-date information for online casinos in Illinois as well as other states around the country.

The Legality of Online Gambling and Poker in Illinois

Illinois could be a gambling and poker powerhouse, but it has not taken the necessary steps to regulate online gambling. The potential stems from a large and well-off population and a more liberal base that in theory should be more open to citizens being allowed to make whatever choices they want in regard to online gambling.

Although Illinois does have some rather severe anti-gambling statutes on the books, the fact is that charges have never been brought against anyone for playing online poker. At the federal level, all the laws in question, including the notorious UIGEA, only affect those running and managing poker sites on US soil.

These laws were not drafted to go after the players, and this is one area in which the government has adhered strictly to the letter of the law. No one anywhere in the state of Illinois or the rest of the country has ever been prosecuted for online gaming with an offshore firm.

Illinois actually includes provisions specifically mentioning real money gaming over the internet. These codes are contained in 720 ILCS 5, Article 28. Turning to 28-1, we find out how the state defines gambling:

(a) A person commits gambling when he or she:(1) knowingly plays a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value, unless excepted in subsection (b) of this Section;

There are other numbered clauses in this text, but there's no need to look any further: All games played for money “or other thing of value” are illegal. Now, it's not clear whether or not this refers only to physical gambling taking place within the state's borders or if it includes online betting too. We do see the following from the same section of law enumerating the offenses that count as gambling:

(12) knowingly establishes, maintains, or operates an Internet site that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet or to make a wager upon the result of any game, contest, political nomination, appointment, or election by means of the Internet. This item (12) does not apply to activities referenced in items (6) and (6.1) of subsection (b) of this Section.

The operators of gambling sites are clearly targeted by this item. The fact that the internet is specifically mentioned with regard to running a site but not participating as a player may mean that the earlier prohibition against games of “chance or skill” only applies to offline betting.

The phrasing of both of these paragraphs refers to other parts of the law that contain exceptions. All of these exceptions are the permitted types of cash gaming that are authorized and overseen by the State of Illinois.

On to the penalties for violating the law:

(c) Sentence.Gambling is a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent conviction under subsections (a)(3) through (a)(12), is a Class 4 felony.

The punishment for a Class A misdemeanor is up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Those who break the rule about running a gambling operation at least twice run the risk of being found guilty of a Class 4 felony, which carries a fine of up to $25,000 and a sentence of between one and three years. Remember that it's not clear whether or not playing on your computer from home would cause you to be in violation of these laws. In any event, law enforcement in IL has never charged or arrested a regular online poker player for breaking the gambling regulations. The only poker games that the authorities have shut down have involved live gaming that occurred without a proper license. You can play on the internet with confidence because there's no history of anyone in the Prairie State ever getting in legal trouble for doing so.

There's another Illinois law that enables gambling losers to recover money from the people they lost to (720 ILCS 5/28-8). If the original loser fails to sue to reclaim his losses within six months, then any third-party can initiate legal action against the winner who will have to pay triple what he or she won. Someone actually attempted to use this law to go after PokerStars, but an appellate court found that an online poker site isn't really a winner for the purposes of this statute but rather just a service provider.

Types of Live Illinois Gambling

Popular Games

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: Yes
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

Horseracing is the oldest form of live gambling in Illinois. There are seven racetracks in Illinois. Racebooks are also legal in Illinois. This is where bettors can get off-track action on simulcast races.

The Illinois Lottery is one of the oldest in the country. Scratch-off tickets and lotto drawings are spread by the Illinois Lottery. Lottos include LuckyDay Lotto, Lotto Extra Shot, Powerball, and Mega Millions.

Illinois casinos opened on riverboats in 1991. All casino games were legal from the first day of gambling. Poker, slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and table games that use cards are all legal in Illinois casinos. Riverboats are strategically located throughout the state. There is a poker room in all Illinois casinos.

Slots and video poker are spread in bars, restaurants, gas stations, and charitable organizations. The best video poker game returns 97.9%. This is below the standard of casinos in Illinois. There are about 4,500 video gaming establishments in Illinois. These businesses host about 18,000 machines.

IGNITION

Online Sports Betting Versus Online Casino Availability

At the time of this writing, online sportsbooks are legal in 21 states and Washington D.C., with three additional states set to join the 22 locales soon. Maryland already has retail sports betting in place and will be rolling out online sportsbooks, while Ohio and Massachusetts will be launching all forms of sports betting in the coming months.

Legal online casinos, on the other hand, are only available in six states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and West Virginia. If speakers’ predictions at the ECGC conference come true, New York, along with Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, could be the next states to add online casinos to their gambling repertoire.

“I’m confident there’s plenty of room for growth,” North America Commercial Director for Evolution Jeffery Millar said.

With the success of US sports betting combined with the disparity between online sportsbooks and online casinos, it’s surprising talks of expansion have taken this long.

Sportsbooks That May Be Available in Illinois Soon

Unibet Sportsbook

Unibet could be the next sportsbook to launch in one of the largest markets in North America. As a renowned brand with a vast user base spanning the globe, Unibet applied to launch in IL in November 2020, but reevaluated due to the in-person requirement that was previously in place. Since the in-person requirement has expired, the Malta-based book may reconsider and try to launch The Prairie State at some point this year.

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Online Casinos in Illinois

While the Prairie State is a genuine land of opportunity for online sports betting fans, it doesn’t offer anything for those who want to play casino games online. No online casinos are legal in Illinois, and although that situation could change in the future, there are no signs of it happening any time soon.

The good news for fans of roulette, slots, blackjack, and similar games is that Illinois does have quite a few riverboat casinos. Riverboat casinos have been legal in this state since 1990, and the first venue was opened in Alton in 1991. Although having to visit a casino in person is far less convenient than being able to play online, at least Illinoisans have that option, which is more than can be said in some other states.

BEST IL CRYPTO-ONLY ONLINE POKER SITE

Coin Poker is a crypto poker site that utilizes USDT (Tether) to denominate its games, although, you can conduct deposits and withdrawals using BTC, ETH, and a few other coins. Of the various crypto-focused internet poker sites, CoinPoker is the biggest and it is growing quickly. In addition to the standard poker formats that we are all accustomed to, CoinPoker also offers a few somewhat unique poker variants like 5 Card Omaha and Open Face Chinese. The rake at CoinPoker is quite low, especially on micro-stakes tables, and it boasts a provably fair shuffling algorithm. Weekly leaderboards and special events also add additional value to playing at this poker site.

CoinPoker is available to play on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. There’s no first deposit bonus, but you can earn 30% ongoing rakeback if you keep a balance of CHP, CoinPoker's proprietary crypto token.

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BEST IL ONLINE POKER SITE WITH THE MOST TRAFFIC

As the Illinois online poker site with the largest player base, Ignition is a fine place to go for NLHE, PLO, and PLO/8 games as high as $10/$20. There’s also Limit Hold’em action and Zone fast-fold cash games to enjoy as well. Beyond ring games, you can play sit n’ gos, including the exciting lottery-inspired Jackpot Sit & Go, and $1.5 million in weekly guaranteed tournaments. There are also tourney series that pay out millions of dollars. All gameplay at Ignition is anonymized to protect newcomers.

Ignition provides a poker download for PCs and Mac. In addition, you can log into the web poker client from mobile, Linux, or basically any other form of computing hardware. Make a deposit and get a 100% up to $1,000 bonus (150% up to $1,500 if you use Bitcoin).

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Alaska

Introduction and History

In 2015, DraftKings and FanDuel blazed a trail across the States with their fantasy sports betting-based online gambling model.

Senators in Illinois tried to claim the new business was illegal, with varying degrees of failure. Both companies continued to operate in the state without major repercussions despite local judges ruling against them several times.

This eventually led to them to team up, pushing for full sports betting legalization in Illinois in 2017.

However, local land-based casino operators, such as Chicago’s Rush Street, objected to the legislation. They claimed that any sports betting bill would give FanDuel and DraftKings an unfair advantage, as they had an effective two-year head start on building a customer base in the state.

Fast forward to 2019 when sports betting was legalized across Illinois, and even Rush Street put aside its objections and joined in on the action with its BetRivers brand.

In fact, Rush Street got the last laugh over its originally fantasy-sports-only rivals. BetRivers became the first company to accept a real sports wager online in Illinois in March 2020.

DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, and the latest addition, William Hill, all joined the party in 2020, too.

This leaves Illinois players with five legal sports betting operators to choose from. However, there are no online casinos in sight yet.

Illinois sports betting journey

The state’s relationship with casino gaming dates to 1991 when riverboat casino gambling was made legal in Illinois. Yes, paddle-steamer boats could operate casinos, but only while cruising the state’s waterways. In 1999, the state made it legal for the riverboats to dock and open their casinos. A year later, Illinois became the first state to allow for the sale of online lottery tickets.

Why Should I Trust Legal Online Sportsbooks?

There are a few reasons to trust a legal Illinois sportsbook. The biggest reason is that these are legal and licensed both in Illinois and in the U.S.

There is an extra level of safety and security with Illinois sports betting sites, and the IGB will also provide help if needed. In Illinois, online sports wagering is now just as legal as anything else at state-regulated betting sites.

Editor’s recommendation – the best online casino operator for users in Illinois

As you may have come to realize by now, similar to the laws on online gambling in Nevada, online casinos are not yet fully legal in the state of Illinois. However, this is set to change in the immediate future. What will naturally occur is that various established online operators will enter the market and open their platforms to Illinois residents, as they have done in other states. Therefore, you’ll certainly come to find a number of prominent sites that have an array of casino games and features. This may make it rather confusing in terms of which operator you feel is the very best.

For this reason, we have decided to highlight the very best online operator that currently offers its services to the general public. BetMGM is definitely our latest recommendation. You’ll quickly come to find that the site is packed to the brim with riveting casino games. Included are classic slots, new-age jackpots, extensive table games, and immersive live casino dealers. In addition to which, you’ll find that there are a number of exciting promotions available. You can use BetMGM as a reference point whenever you start to gamble online legally in Illinois. From here, you’ll be able to branch out and start to experience sites of the same caliber. BetMGM’s renown is countrywide though, as it ranks as one of the best Virginia online gambling sites and comes up trumps in several other states, as well.

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Which Poker Or Sportsbook Wagering Sites Accept IL Players 18+?

Below we provide three sources of legal online poker and sports betting for Land of Lincoln players aged eighteen and older. Here they can enjoy real-money casino games as well, and enjoy generous promotional offers for first-time registration and certain games.

1. Bovada Sportsbook – 50% Bonus Max $250
2. Betonline Sportsbook – 50% Bonus Max $2,500
3. Sportsbetting.ag – 75% Bonus Max $1,000