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Top Illinois Online Casinos and Gambling Sites

Last Updated June. 28. 2024 10:55 AM PDT

Illinois online casinos are widely available thanks to international, offshore operators. The state has a restrictive gambling past and has recently loosened its gambling laws; particularly when it comes to riverboat casinos, video gaming terminals (VGTs), and sports wagering. However, online gambling is still only available through offshore sites. 

Find the best gambling sites for Illinois players, and learn all about IL online gambling laws.

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Our Recommended Gambling Sites

Best Online Gambling Sites for Illinois Players

Bovada Best Overall IL Gambling Site

Bovada is the best overall gambling site for Illinois players, thanks to its wide selection of casino games, poker games, live dealer tables, sportsbook, and more. The site has an online casino with nearly 500 real-money slot games, progressives, and hot drop jackpot slots. There are also more than 30 table games, including 10 blackjack variations, seven roulette variations, and six poker variations such as Pai-Gow, Tri-Card, and Caribbean Stud poker.

The site’s live dealer options feature more than 30 blackjack tables with bets ranging from $5 to $50,000 per hand. 

IL gamblers can head to Bovada’s sportsbook as well to bet on NFL football, MLB, and the NBA, among other leagues and contests. The sportsbook also features a robust racebook that accepts wagers on tracks around the world, including Gulfstream Park and Churchill Downs—home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby.

DuckyLuck Casino Best Online Casino for Illinois Players

DuckyLuck Casino is the best online casino for Illinoisans. It features over 500 games including more than 400 slots, 20+ table games such as roulette, blackjack, and craps. DuckyLuck’s games are provided by operators such as BetSoft, Rival, Saucify, and Fresh Deck Studios. 

Not only does the casino reward new players with a generous 500% first deposit match for up to $7500 in funds, it also rewards existing players with reload bonuses ranging from 250% to 380%. Additionally, players can enjoy cashback bonuses, daily free spins, and more.

DuckyLuck’s exceptional game selection and player rewards cater to nearly every gambling preference, helping it to become one of the premiere gaming destinations for Illinoisans.

BetUS Best Sports Betting Site for Illinoisans

Illinois players that want to wager on sports can head to BetUS for the best sports betting experience online. You can bet on Chicago Bears, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Bulls contests, among many other options. Furthermore, the site has an easy-to-use racebook in which IL residents and visitors can bet on thoroughbred and harness races from around the world. 

One thing that makes the site unique is its BetUS TV platform. The platform helps gamblers in Illinois make more informed wagers with more than 15 programs that share picks, predictions, analysis, and more.  The shows cover NBA, MLB, UFC, and European soccer leagues such as Serie A, Bundesliga, and The Premier League.

BetUS allows unrestricted betting on politics, entertainment and college sports. Idaho residents can bet on college games featuring the Idaho Vandals, Boise State Broncos, and Idaho State Bengals, as well as pro teams like the Seattle Seahawks, Mariners, Colorado Avalanche, Rockies, and Portland Trail Blazers. With its wide range of betting options and competitive odds, BetUS is an excellent choice for Idaho players.

Ignition Casino Best Illinois Poker Site

Ignition’s diverse range of poker tables, bonuses, and both daily and weekly tournaments make it the best poker site available in IL. Included in the site’s tournament line-up are knockouts, satellites, turbos, and jackpot sit & go tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $2–$60. 

As far as the poker selection is concerned, Ignition offers Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi/Lo games. IL gamblers can also choose to play anonymously if they’d like. Ignition allows you to simultaneously play up to four tables of cash poker, and up to 20 tables during tournaments. 

Illinois players can head to Ignition for Triple Header Sunday tournaments as well. Buy-ins range from $1–$1,055, and the tournament offers a whopping $235,000 in guaranteed weekly prizes.

BetOnline Best IL Live Dealer Site

IL players looking for the best live dealer site can head to BetOnline for a selection of more than 50 high-quality streaming games. You can sit down at one of 24 live blackjack tables with wagers ranging from $10–$50,000 per hand. There are nine baccarat tables too, seven of which feature unlimited seating, so you’ll never have to wait for a spot to open up before playing. 

The casino offers 16 American, European, and Auto roulette tables as well, with bets that begin at only $.50 and go up to $12,500 per hand; perfect for all gambling budgets.

Drake Casino’s tournament list includes a weekly $1,000 American Blackjack tournament and a $1,000 VIP Blackjack tournament. Both have a mere $5 entry fee. Also, Blackjack, American Roulette, Red Dog, Ride’em Poker, Pai Gow Poker, and Caribbean Stud all contribute to the site’s bonus rollover.

Wild Casino Best Video Poker Site for Illinoisans

Wild Casino is the top video poker site for Illinoisans, with 13 multi-hand titles and 11 single-hand titles available to choose from. These games combine the fast-paced play of slots with the strategic play of poker. Included among the titles are:

  • Deuces Wild 
  • Jacks or Better
  • Tens or Better
  • Double Bonus
  • Joker Poker
  • All-American Poker
  • Aces & Faces 

The casino’s video poker offerings are provided by multipole big-name operators including Rival Gaming and BetSoft. This variety enables Illinois gamblers to play game versions that align with their gambling budgets and tastes. What’s more, minimum bets typically start at $0.10 on these games, while the maximum bets can go up to $100 per round. These limits allow both casual players and high-stakes gamblers to enjoy the games.

Las Atlantis Casino Best Bonus for Illinois Betters

Illinois bettors can head to Las Atlantis Casino to claim a whopping $9500 in matched funds. This is by far the most generous welcome bonus online. The casino matches 140% of your first deposit of up to $1,000, and the offer can be claimed up to five times. The minimum deposit is $10, and the welcome bonus has a playthrough requirement of 30x the deposit. 

Existing members can also take advantage of lucrative bonuses at Las Atlantis, including up to $1,650 in matched funds when you make a deposit, and the offer is valid once a day. This offer has a $10 minimum deposit as well; however, it does have high playthrough requirements at 35x (bonus + deposit).

TrustDice Best Cryptocurrency Gambling Site for IL

TrustDice is the top cryptocurrency casino online with more than 8000 games to choose from. The casino accepts deposits from an array of crypto banking options including Bitcoin, Ethereum, EOS, and Litecoin. TrustDice also has its own proprietary cryptocurrency called TXT, and players can even mine TXT simply by playing in the casino. 

IL players can claim free crypto every day with the TrustDice crypto fountain. The fountain provides players with free coins, distributing BTC, USDC, DOGE, and more.

From there you can use your crypto to play slots, tables games, and live dealer games such as baccarat, blackjack, and poker.

Top Illinois Online Gambling Sites Comparison

SITEB.E.S.T. RATINGWELCOME BONUSSPECIALTYREVIEWVISIT SITE
Bovada4.5125% up to $3750Best Overall Gambling SiteBovada ReviewVisit Bovada
Duckyluck4.5500% for up to $7500Best Online CasinoDuckyLuck ReviewVisit DuckyLuck
BetUS4.5125% up to $2500Best Sports Betting SiteBetUS ReviewVisit BetUS
Ignition4.5300% up to $3000Best Poker SiteIgnition ReviewVisit Ignition
BetOnline4.5100% up to $3000Best Live Dealer SiteBetOnline ReviewVisit BetOnline
Wild Casino4.5250% up to $5000Best Video Poker SiteWild Casino ReviewVisit Wild Casino
Las Altantis4.5200% up to $9500Best BonusLas Atlantis ReviewVisit Las Atlantis
TrustDice4100% up to $90,000 or 3 BTCBest Cryptocurrency Gambling SiteTrustDice Casino ReviewVisit TrustDice

How We Choose the Best Gambling Sites for Illinoisans

Bonuses
Entertainment
Safety
Transactions

We employ the B.E.S.T. System, our proprietary grading system, to assess every gambling site we review. We allocate each site a score based on four criteria to ensure that our evaluations are objective. 

  • Bonuses – Every casino site offers bonuses and reward programs for new and loyal players, but it’s not enough that these payouts are big or generous. A site’s bonus terms and conditions, such as wagering requirements and payout limits, must be both fair and competitive.  
  • Entertainment Features – A good entertainment rating is based on the value a site can deliver to players. For instance, we consider whether a sportsbook has features like a bet builder or enhanced odds; for casinos, we look at the breadth of their game selection, and the variety of software providers available.
  • Safety and Security – Gambling site endorsements are contingent on the degree of security they offer; for this reason, this category is assigned the most points. We consider the encryption technologies gambling sites employ to protect private information, their privacy policies, and if they have valid licenses.
  • TransactionsGood US online casinos prioritize player convenience by offering swift and seamless payment and withdrawal processes, and minimizing processing fees to enhance the overall experience. A diverse range of supported payment methods further elevates a casino’s appeal.
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    • Online Casinos: Available (offshore only) 
    • Land-Based Casinos: Available
    • Online Sportsbooks: Available  
    • Land-Based Sportsbooks: Available 
    • Online Poker: Available  
    • Horse Racing: Available 
    • Lottery: Available
    • Gambling Age: 18 for lottery, bingo, and pari-mutuel wagering, 21 for casinos and sports betting

    Online gambling in Illinois is regulated and legal in several forms. 

    Online sports wagering is allowed in Illinois by ILCS Chapter 230, sections 24–45 (2), and in 2020 the Illinois Supreme Court amended 720 ILCS Chapter 38 (3) to allow daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests as well.

    The Illinois Lottery is regulated by The Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) Chapter 120 (1), otherwise known as The Illinois Lottery Law. Unlike many other states, tickets can be purchased online through the official Illinois Lottery website

    The only form of gambling that is not yet regulated within the state are online casinos. For IL players to access online casino games, they must head to internationally licensed sites based outside the state. Our list of recommendations includes trusted and safe offshore casinos available to IL residents. 

    Timeline of Illinois Gambling History

    2024
    June

    Illinois Residents and visitors can gamble online through a wide selection of available offshore casinos.

    2020
    June

    Illinois launches mobile sports betting.

    April

    The Illinois Supreme Court amends 720 ILCS Chapter 38, legalizing daily sports fantasy contests.

    2019
    June

    Governor J.B. Pritzker legalizes sports wagering in Illinois with ILCS Chapter 230, sections 24—45.

    June

    Governor J.B. Pritzker signs legislation that allows IL riverboat casinos to move to dry land.

    2009
    May

    HB 255—AKA the Video Gaming Act— authorizes the use of video gaming terminals in licensed retail establishments (including gas stations), fraternal houses, and veteran’s establishments.

    1999
    May

    Governor George Ryan signs the New Riverboat Gambling Act that enables riverboat casinos to operate while docked.

    1990
    February

    The Riverboat Gambling Act allows Riverboat casinos to operate within Illinois waterways.

    1975
    January

    The Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 permits pari-mutuel wagering on horse races in IL.

    1974
    July

    The Illinois State Lottery begins operations.

    July

    Illinois legalizes bingo games.

    Future of Gambling in Illinois

    Most current gambling talk in Illinois revolves around taxation. Governor J.B. Pritzker recently proposed raising the tax on gambling revenue from the current 15% to as much as 20–40%. The Governor says that this could generate approximately $200 million per year in additional revenue for the state. 

    Sports betting powerhouses DraftKings and Fan Duel have publicly stated that the higher taxes could force them to reevaluate their position in the market; including the possibility of them pulling out of Illinois altogether. 

    Some pundits also worry that increased taxes could spell trouble for expanded online gambling in the state, since some operators might not be as willing to open up shop in Illinois due to the possibility of lower revenue.

    Illinois Responsible Gambling Resources 

    Health Resources in Action (HRiA)—a non-profit organization committed to improve public health— says that four percent of Illinoisans struggle with problem gambling issues, which translates to nearly 400,000 people. Additionally, another 700,000 people, or seven percent of the population, are at risk of developing gambling disorders. 

    Problem gambling is a serious affliction that can cause permanent damage to relationships, careers, and even health. If you or someone you know struggles with gambling issues you can visit some of these IL problem gambling resources to seek support:

    Illinois Online Gambling Sources

    1. Illinois Lottery Laws
    2. Illinois Sports Wagering Laws
    3. Illinois Daily Fantasy Sports Contests Amendment
    4. Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975

    Online Gambling in Illinois

    Illinois allows online gambling in various forms. Sports betting sites are fully legal and available in the state, while online casinos remain unregulated by the state. Recent regulations have loosened for riverboat casinos, VGTs, and online sports betting, but online casinos are still offshore only.

    The best sites available to Illinois players include Bovada (overall), DuckyLuck Casino (online casino), BetUS (sports betting), Ignition Poker (poker), BetOnline (live dealer), Wild Casino (video poker), Las Atlantis Casino (bonuses), and TrustDice (cryptocurrency).

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    Zachary
    Wolf
    Content Specialist
    Articles
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    Zachary Wolf is a Content Editor with experience writing about online gambling for GamblingSites.com and BestUSCasinos.org. His gambling-related writing credits include state-specific U.S. gambling laws, casino reviews, and various sports betting guides — most notably WWE betting guides. He enjoys playing slots, poker, and blackjack, among other games.

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