Illinois

Last verified September 27, 2026

By the Legal Sportsbooks US editorial team

Illinois

Online and retail

Legal since

March 9, 2020 (retail); June 18, 2020 (online)

Minimum age

21 (also 21 for daily fantasy)

Regulator

Illinois Gaming Board

Licensed apps

10 online sportsbooks

State law

230 ILCS 45 (Sports Wagering Act)

Is sports betting legal in Illinois?

Yes, online and in person. Governor JB Pritzker signed the Sports Wagering Act on June 28, 2019 as part of Public Act 101-31. The first retail bet was taken March 9, 2020 at Rivers Casino Des Plaines, and BetRivers opened the first online book on June 18, 2020. You must be 21 and physically in Illinois.

Where you can bet

The Illinois Gaming Board authorizes 10 online sportsbooks: bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, Circa Sports, DraftKings, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel, Hard Rock Bet and theScore Bet. Twelve retail books are open, including Rivers Des Plaines, Hard Rock Rockford, Wind Creek Chicago Southland, the Penalty Box Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino Aurora and Fanatics at Hawthorne Race Course. Harrah's Joliet and Harrah's Metropolis hold licenses but aren't operating.

No licensee may take a bet on an Illinois college team, a minor league event or a kindergarten through 12th grade game. Other college games aren't covered by the ban.

Online and retail books pay a graduated state tax on adjusted gross receipts: 20% up to $30 million, rising in steps to 40% above $200 million. Bets placed in Cook County carry an extra 2%. Online books also pay $0.25 on each of their first 20 million wagers in a fiscal year and $0.50 after that. Chicago has taxed online bets placed in the city at 10.25% since January 1, 2026, and we found no ruling on the sportsbooks' court challenge to it.

How Illinois legalized sports betting

Before 2019

Illinois had horse racing from 1927 and a lottery from 1974. Governor James Thompson signed the Riverboat Gambling Act on February 7, 1990, creating the Gaming Board and 10 licenses, and the Alton Belle opened as the first riverboat casino on September 10, 1991. A 1999 law let the boats stay dockside; before that, gambling couldn't start until a boat left the dock.

Illinois didn't regulate daily fantasy sports by statute before 2026. On December 23, 2015 Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued Opinion No. 15-006, concluding that DraftKings and FanDuel contests were illegal gambling.

The 2019 law

The Sports Wagering Act passed inside Senate Bill 690, the gaming expansion sponsored by Sen. Terry Link and Rep. Bob Rita, which also authorized six new casinos. Casinos and racetracks could buy master licenses for 5% of prior-year receipts or handle, capped at $10 million, and up to seven sports stadiums could buy $10 million licenses. The tax was 15%, and bets on Illinois college teams weren't allowed.

The law also created three online-only licenses at $20 million each, but applications could only be filed within 540 days after the first license was issued. Until one of those licenses was issued, bettors had to create mobile accounts in person at a casino or track. The Chicago Sun-Times described DraftKings and FanDuel as locked in an 18-month "penalty box." Both entered anyway through partners: DraftKings through Casino Queen and FanDuel through Fairmount Park.

The 2020 launch

Blackhawks broadcaster Eddie Olczyk placed the first legal bet, $100 on the White Sox to win the American League pennant. Casinos closed a week later, on March 16, 2020. In June 2020 Pritzker's Executive Order 2020-41 suspended in-person registration, and BetRivers, DraftKings, William Hill, FanDuel and PointsBet launched online within four months. After nine renewals Pritzker let the order lapse, and in-person sign-up returned on April 4, 2021.

House Bill 3136 (Public Act 102-689), effective December 17, 2021, ended the in-person rule as of March 5, 2022. It also let retail books take in-person bets on the outcome of Illinois college games, with no player props, until July 1, 2023. Senate Bill 89 (Public Act 103-4) extended that window to July 1, 2024, and it wasn't renewed.

Tax increases

House Bill 4951 (Public Act 103-592, effective June 7, 2024) replaced the flat 15% with the 20% to 40% tiers from July 1, 2024. House Bill 2755 (Public Act 104-6, effective June 16, 2025) added the per-wager tax from July 1, 2025. Chicago's City Council approved its own 10.25% tax and a local license, with fees of $5,000 to $50,000, in the 2026 budget passed December 20, 2025.

Senate Bill 3019 (2026)

Senate Bill 3019 was filed January 29, 2026 as an Illinois Finance Authority bill and was amended into the revenue package behind the $55.9 billion budget. The House passed it 73 to 41 on May 31, the Senate concurred 36 to 19 on June 1, and Pritzker signed it June 16, 2026 as Public Act 104-468. It added a definition of "exchange wager": any agreement, contract, transaction or swap on a prediction market or exchange tied to a sporting event. Each exchange wager carries a 1.75% transaction tax, rising to 3.5% after a licensee's first 5 million in a fiscal year. An online license now costs $15 million for four years, plus a $250,000 application fee. The same act licensed daily fantasy.

Sports betting court cases in Illinois

DraftKings and FanDuel v. Madigan (2015 to 2016)

On December 24, 2015, a day after the Madigan opinion, DraftKings sued in Cook County Circuit Court, and FanDuel and Head2Head Sports sued in Sangamon County. Madigan moved to dismiss both on January 22, 2016, arguing sovereign immunity and that she had threatened no enforcement. We didn't find a merits ruling, and both companies continued to operate in Illinois.

Dew-Becker v. Wu (2020)

Colin Dew-Becker lost $100 to Andrew Wu in a head-to-head FanDuel contest and sued under the loss recovery provision, 720 ILCS 5/28-8(a). On April 16, 2020 the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed judgment for Wu (2020 IL 124472), holding that head-to-head daily fantasy contests are predominantly skill and so aren't gambling under that section. Chief Justice Anne Burke wrote for the court; Justice Karmeier dissented. The court said regulation was for the legislature.

Sports Betting Alliance v. City of Chicago (2025 to present)

The alliance of bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics sued Chicago in the Cook County Chancery Division on December 30, 2025 (No. 2025CH12984). It argues Article VII, Section 6(e) of the Illinois Constitution bars a home rule city from licensing for revenue or taxing income without express legislative permission. The city issued licenses December 31, the alliance withdrew its restraining-order request, and the tax took effect January 1, 2026. We haven't found a reported ruling as of September 27, 2026.

Coinbase Financial Markets v. Raoul (N.D. Ill.)

Coinbase sued Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Gaming Board members on December 18, 2025 (No. 1:25-cv-15406), a day after announcing it would offer event contracts with Kalshi as its exchange partner. The complaint cites the Board's April 1, 2025 letters, its April 25, 2025 letter to the CFTC and an October 23, 2025 notice to licensees calling prediction markets illegal gambling. Judge Martha Pacold heard argument on the preliminary injunction on February 24, 2026 and took it under advisement. We couldn't find a ruling on that motion or confirm where the case stands now.

United States v. Illinois (N.D. Ill.)

The CFTC and the United States sued Illinois, Pritzker, Raoul and the Board on April 2, 2026 (No. 1:26-cv-03659), the same day as the CFTC's suits against Arizona and Connecticut. The case was reassigned to Judge Pacold on June 9, and the government moved for a preliminary injunction June 17. On July 14 the state withdrew its motion to stay, and, with no party objecting, the court let the Coalition for Fair Markets and North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. (d/b/a OG) intervene. Illinois filed its consolidated opposition July 17, replies came in July 24, and tribal amici filed a brief July 31. The motions were still pending in early September, and we couldn't confirm whether either has been decided since.

KalshiEX v. Raoul (N.D. Ill.)

Kalshi sued on June 23, 2026 (No. 1:26-cv-07363) to block SB 3019's license and tax rules before July 1 and sought an emergency restraining order two days later. In a June 29 joint report, the state agreed to keep refraining from enforcing the Sports Wagering Act or criminal gambling laws against Kalshi while its preliminary-injunction motion is pending, and Kalshi dropped the restraining-order request. The case moved to Judge Pacold on July 24, the day Kalshi filed its reply. We couldn't confirm whether she has ruled on that motion.

Appeals courts

The Seventh Circuit, which covers Illinois, hasn't decided whether the Commodity Exchange Act preempts state gambling law for sports event contracts. Its lead appeal is United States v. Wisconsin (No. 26-2636), from Judge William Griesbach's July 29, 2026 denial of a preliminary injunction to the CFTC and the Justice Department. It's consolidated with appeals by Kalshi (No. 26-2675) and the American Gaming Association (No. 26-2696), and the defendants' brief is due October 21, 2026. Kalshi's petition to appeal in Ho-Chunk Nation v. Kalshi (No. 26-8020) was filed September 21.

Other circuits don't bind Illinois. The Third Circuit sided with Kalshi against New Jersey in KalshiEX v. Flaherty (No. 25-1922, April 6, 2026), and New Jersey's petition is Supreme Court No. 26-299, with Kalshi's response due November 9, 2026. The Ninth Circuit ruled for Nevada in KalshiEX v. Assad (No. 25-7516, August 28, 2026), and the Sixth Circuit ruled against Kalshi in cases from Ohio and Tennessee in KalshiEX v. Schuler (September 25, 2026). Raoul signed the 39-state amicus brief filed March 10, 2026 on Nevada's side.

Prediction markets and daily fantasy

The Gaming Board's cease-and-desist list includes Kalshi, Robinhood and Crypto.com (April 1, 2025) and Polymarket (January 27, 2026), each accused of unlicensed sports wagering under 230 ILCS 45 and the criminal code. Earlier letters, dated February 11, 2025, went to offshore books and to pick'em operators ParlayPlay, Drafters and Chalkboard. No prediction market appears on the Board's list of authorized operators. Novig (Ludlow Exchange, LLC, which the CFTC designated a contract market on June 16, 2026) lists Illinois as eligible, since its page excludes only Nevada, Arizona and Michigan; it requires users to be 21 with ID and builds no vig into its prices.

SB 3019 also made paid fantasy contests legal and regulated. Players must be 21 and in Illinois, operators pay a 15% tax on adjusted receipts from July 1, 2026, and license fees are $7,500 for operators with more than 7,500 patrons and $500 for smaller ones. Single-player contests against the operator are excluded, and offering contests without a license is a Class 4 felony. Operators already serving Illinois can continue until 90 days after the Board's rules take effect.

Help with a gambling problem

Call 1-800-GAMBLER, the helpline the Illinois Gaming Board lists for problem gambling. The Board also runs a statewide voluntary self-exclusion program that covers casino gambling and sports wagering.

Sources

Common questions

How we track and verify state laws

What does Legal Sportsbooks US track?

Every state's legal status, the date betting became legal, the minimum age, the regulator and the licensed apps, plus the legal history and court cases behind them, for all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Our page on how we track and verify state laws explains the details.

What do the statuses mean?

Online and retail means licensed mobile apps and in-person sportsbooks both operate. Online only means betting happens through licensed apps, with no retail sportsbooks. Retail only means you can bet in person at licensed venues, but there's no statewide app. Not legal means no licensed sportsbooks operate. Legislation pending means a bill or ballot measure is moving, but betting hasn't launched. Not yet verified means we haven't confirmed the state's current status.

Can I bet on sports where I live?

The rules follow where you are when you place the bet. Licensed apps use geolocation to confirm you're inside a state where they can operate, and some states limit betting to certain premises. Find your state in the state index, or read our guide to location rules.

How old do you have to be to bet on sports?

It's 21 in 33 of the 40 jurisdictions with legal sports betting and 18 in five: Washington, D.C., Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Wyoming. In North Dakota and Washington, the tribal casino sets the age.

How current is the tracker?

State laws and licenses change, so every state entry records the date it was last verified. If a status looks out of date, the state regulator's website has the official answer.

Is this legal advice?

No. We summarize public information about state sports betting laws. Confirm the rules with your state regulator before you bet, and don't wager more than you can afford to lose.