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Best Illinois Online Casinos and Sportsbooks
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The best Illinois gambling sites understand the needs and preferences of players from America’s heartland. But where do you find the top sites?
Right here is where! This page is all about real-money online gambling in Illinois, and it includes a list of safe and trusted sites.
How We Rate
Safety & Security
You should be able to gamble online without fear. So we only recommend licensed sites that use the latest security and encryption techniques.
Bonuses
Maximize your bankroll with fantastic bonuses. Our recommended sites offer valuable bonuses with fair terms and conditions, including manageable wagering requirements.
Games & Betting
The best sites have the best wagering options. That’s why you will find extensive games and betting opportunities on our recommended sites.
Banking
Getting your money to and from your account shouldn’t be a hassle. We only recommend sites with a variety of convenient banking methods, including cryptocurrency and e-wallets.
Every IL gambling site that we recommend passed our (very strict) litmus test. You can wager with real money at any of them and feel confident that they’re legit sites offering a great experience.
Our process for ranking these Illinois gambling sites is extensive. We’ll also look at some of the advantages of gambling online from Illinois and explore the various betting and gaming options.
Lastly, we touch on the legal situation regarding Illinois online gambling, so there’s plenty here to read!
Best Illinois Gambling Sites
We’ve been involved in the online gambling industry since its inception. And many members of our team had been gambling for years before the internet was even a thing.
This means we’re well qualified to assess what today’s online betting and gaming operators have to offer their customers. We know what we want from sites, and we expect it’s very similar to what you want.
That’s why you can trust that our list of the best Illinois online gambling sites is exactly what you need. Sign up with any one of our recommendations for IL and we’re certain you won’t be disappointed.
Point-By-Point Analysis of IL Gambling Sites
GamblingSites.com has built a reputation for the accuracy of our rankings. Our research professionals conduct in-depth analyses using an advanced and highly-refined point-by-point evaluation process. In order to make our list, a site must get high scores across the board.
There are many, many factors that we look at when it comes to ranking real money online gambling sites. Here’s a little bit of insight into what we consider when ranking the best gambling sites for Illinois.
Investment and Qualifications
The best Illinois gambling sites carry licenses from jurisdictions that charge very significant application and licensing fees. During the process, they are required to submit proof of sufficient working capital, and they must invest in sound infrastructures that protect sensitive information.
When a company has to put out this kind of money to get these licenses, they’re making a profound statement. They have every intention of doing things correctly so they can get out of the red and into the black and continue to be profitable for a very long time.
Jurisdictions that are well regarded conduct extensive background checks on the applicants. The resumes of the people that will be running the company are examined, and the licensing entities put business plans under the microscope.
Gambling sites that hold licenses from territories and countries that have stringent requirements like these are very diligent and fully cognizant of their responsibilities to their players.
Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
If you’re interested in gambling online in Illinois, it is important to identify a site that is designed to suit the needs of players in the United States. This is key, because gambling on the web is huge all around the world, and currency and deposit methods vary depending on the region that is targeted.
Even if a site is in the English language, this does not necessarily mean that it caters to American players. There may be a different form of currency utilized, and the games that are emphasized would be custom crafted to suit gambling enthusiasts from the country of focus.
We take this into account when we are comparing the IL gambling sites that are competing for your business.
Several of the leading sites are accepting Bitcoin, and many would say that this is the ideal form of currency for Internet gambling.
Though the sites that we have approved emphasize rapid transfers, there is some processing time, but it is accelerated when Bitcoin is utilized. Funds are available in short order, and since there’s no third party looking for a slice of the pie, processing charges are limited or completely nonexistent.
Attentive and Effective Service
All of the top Illinois online gambling sites understand the value of world-class customer service. Even though there is no physical facade that you can access, there are real human beings sitting in an office with a license on the wall ready to answer your questions and address your concerns.
They provide wide windows of availability, and some of them have phone representatives available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Email customer service is another option, and you will usually see real-time chat functions at the leading online casinos.
Reputational Factors and Longevity
The intention to withstand the test of time is a key factor as we have touched upon previously. This being stated, actually achieving this goal is the ultimate barometer, so we take longevity very seriously when we establish our rankings.
Since information can be widely disseminated so quickly through the internet, these sites can’t run and hide. Our research team members visit relevant forums and message boards to see what people are saying about IL gambling sites on an ongoing basis, both positive and negative. This complements our own experiences and opinions.
Advantages of Betting and Gaming Online
We have a comprehensive understanding of gambling laws in all of the states, and comparatively speaking, Illinois is rather progressive. It started with the licensing of riverboat-based gambling operations in 1990, but players had to go on cruises to comply with existing laws.
This changed in 1999 when the Riverboat Gambling Act was signed into law by then-Governor George Ryan. Since then, the riverboat-themed facilities are no longer required to leave the docks, so there are now elaborate nearby structures that help to create the gambling resort ambiance.
Since the ‘90s, there have been some near-misses with regard to the expansion of legalized casino gambling to include some commercial properties in and around Chicago. This phase came to an end in 2019 when sweeping legislation included provisions for land-based casinos in the Windy City.
Under the newest laws, the state’s riverboat facilities are now permitted to operate on land with the right approval. Without question, it can be a lot of fun to visit one of the riverboat gambling facilities. However, regardless of the brick-and-mortar landscape, the best IL gambling sites will always offer certain advantages.
- Bet and play whenever you want
- No crowds to deal with
- Don’t need to handle cash
- Bonuses and promotions for extra value
- A wider range of gambling options
These advantages, and more, are available at all of our recommended online gambling sites accepting Illinois customers.
We’ve written about the advantages of online gambling in much more detail if you’d like to explore these benefits further. For now, let’s expand on the range of real-money gaming and betting options available online.
Real Money Online Gambling Options in Illinois
You do not have to settle for a culture of limitation when you embrace the Illinois online gambling experience.
Regardless of your game or games of choice, and what you prefer to bet on, you will be able to get your fix at the IL gambling sites that have earned our seal of approval.
Liberal Slots
If you like to have multiple options when you play slots, you will feel like you hit the motherlode when you visit any of the top gambling websites. It’s not uncommon to see over a hundred themes, so you will never be sick and tired of the same old same old.
They have minimum and maximum betting limits to suit all players, and there are progressive slots if you’re looking for a big score. The jackpots go up as people continue to participate, and they grow until someone hits, and it could be a life-changing amount of money.
Video Poker
The best Illinois gambling sites go the extra mile when it comes to the online video poker experience. They offer all the games that you would see in a major casino in Las Vegas, including Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, Jacks or Better, and more.
There are virtual machines that accept all different denominations, and progressive poker jackpots are always up for grabs. Of course, when it comes to video poker, the natural royal flush will provide a robust payday even if you’re not playing a progressive game.
Authentic Table Games
Traditional casino floors are dominated by table games, and many would say that this is the heart of an authentic gaming hall.
The top-rated Illinois gambling sites offer all of the games that have captured the imaginations of players for generations, including craps, roulette, baccarat, and blackjack.
Sports Betting
You can bet on all the major US sports online from IL. If football betting is your thing, you’ll have options for the NFL, college football, and even the CFL.
Baseball, basketball, and hockey are well covered, too. And it doesn’t stop there. There are plenty of other sports, from the mainstream to the obscure, that you can also bet on.
Horse Racing Betting
Yes, you can bet on horses online. And it’s much easier than going to the track. The big US horse races are all available to bet on, as well as races from all around the world.
You’ll also find online poker at some of our recommended Illinois gambling sites, and some of them have additional gambling options.
It should be noted that certain sites focus on just a single form of gambling or particularly excel in one area. That’s why we’ve also ranked the best Illinois gambling sites in the following categories.
Legal Sports Betting and Online Gambling in IL
On June 2nd, 2019, the legislature passed a bill that would legalize sports gambling in Illinois. It was signed into law by the governor at the end of the month, and it includes betting at physical sites like Wrigley Field along with online sports gambling. Other forms of online gambling may follow.
Please refer to our guide to gambling laws in Illinois to stay up to date with developments. In the meantime, the best IL gambling sites as per our recommendations are always available to you.
History of Illinois Gambling Laws
Riverboat gambling begins
Amendment made to allow riverboats to offer gambling when dockedTransition to Legal Status of Gambling
While the bulk of Illinois’ gambling revenue comes from the lottery, they also feature a sizeable casino industry.
Their largest casino is Hollywood Casino Joliet, which has nearly 1,200 slot machines and 20 table games. The second-biggestcasino is Par-A-Dice Hotel, which also features over 1,150 slot machines and 21 table games.
Their minimum gambling ages are similar to most other states, with 18 being the minimum lottery age and 21 being the minimum for riverboat casinos.
Transition to Legal Status of Gambling
While the bulk of Illinois’ gambling revenue comes from the lottery, they also feature a sizeable casino industry.
Their largest casino is Hollywood Casino Joliet, which has nearly 1,200 slot machines and 20 table games. The second-biggestcasino is Par-A-Dice Hotel, which also features over 1,150 slot machines and 21 table games.
Their minimum gambling ages are similar to most other states, with 18 being the minimum lottery age and 21 being the minimum for riverboat casinos.
Casino (Riverboat) Gambling
In 1990, Illinois passed the Riverboat Gambling Act, becoming the second state to allow such gaming.
This act also created the Illinois Gaming Board, which determines who receives riverboat casino licenses. In 2012, they awarded the 10th and final license to River Casino Des Plaines.
The primary motivation for passing this legislation is that lawmakers wanted to boost river towns, which were struggling in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Another reason is that the state didn’t want their residents pouring tax dollars into Iowa riverboats.
An original stipulation of this law is that the boats had to be cruising while patrons were gambling. But this rule was changed in 1999 so that riverboats could still offer gaming when docked.
Another stipulation is that no riverboat gambling is allowed in Cook County (Chicago), which is meant to protect the horseracing industry here. Nevertheless, several riverboat gaming venues have cropped up in surrounding counties.
Senate Bill 1793 sought to increase the number of riverboat casino licenses, but then-Governor Pat Quinn vetoed the matter.
Given that casino competition has increased in Indiana and surrounding states, many riverboat casinos have concentrated on becoming all-around entertainment destinations that feature celebrities, comedians, and musical acts.
Charitable Gaming
The Charitable Games Act [230 ILCS 30/1 et seq.] allowed approved charities to conduct certain types of gaming for non-profit purposes.
Accepted forms of charity gaming include bingo, pull-tabs, raffles, 5-card stud poker, and Texas hold’em poker. Given that many states don’t allow their charities to offer poker, Illinois is pretty liberal in this regard.
Another rule in charities’ favor is that they can offer cash prizes as rewards.
Horse Racing
Signed into effect in 1975, the Illinois Horse Racing Act allows licensed tracks to offer both harness and thoroughbred racing. Simulcast wagering and off-track betting were approved in 1985 and 1987, respectively.
Illinois has a long history of horseracing, dating back to the first track being built in 1830. But it took almost a century and a half before the activity was officially legalized and regulated.
Today, the Prairie State has four different tracks, including Arlington International Racecourse, Balmoral Park Race Track, Du Quion State Fair Harness Racing, and Fairmount Park Racetrack.
Like many other states, Illinois’ pari-mutuel industry is in decline. Once worth well over a billion dollars in the early 1990s, horseracing now generates around $650 million per year.
Pari-mutuel betting is no longer the draw that it was once thanks to increased competition from riverboat casinos, video gaming terminals, the lottery, and out-of-state competition.
Several bills have been proposed to allow slot machines at racetracks (a.k.a. racinos). But all of these measures were defeated thanks to vetoes from former Gov. Pat Quinn.
State Lottery
In 1975, state legislators created the Illinois State Lottery in order to fund local schools. The result has been a success so far, with the lottery earning over $2.8 billion annually in recent years.
But many complain that the Common School Fund is too reliant on the lottery, with inner-city Chicago schools needing an influx of taxpayer money to help.
Another controversy involves the Northstar Lottery Group, a private company that’s been tasked with running the Illinois State Lottery ever since 2012.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Northstar has been accused by players of offering fraudulent scratch-off tickets. Specifically, the private company is accused of discontinuing unpopular games early when they were reaching profitability for players.
A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of players, which would repay all affected people who bought tickets for the discontinued games.
Despite the controversies, the Illinois State Lottery continues to rank within the top 10 in terms of revenue. More than 60% of earnings come from scratch-offs, while the rest comes from Pick 3, Pick 4, Mega Millions, and Powerball tickets.
Poker
Illinois has a number of casino-based poker rooms dotting its landscape.
The largest of these poker rooms is at Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, where you’ll find 12 tables and a regular tournament schedule. Another notable poker room is located at Harrah’s Joliet, where you’ll find 8 tables.
Other poker venues in the state include: Harrah’s Metropolis, Hollywood Casino Aurora, Hollywood Casino Joliet, Jumer’s Casino, and Par-A-Dice.
Social Gambling
As covered earlier, Article 28 Sect. 28-1 states that it’s illegal to play any game of chance or skill for money and other valuables in Illinois.
This is a cut-and-dried definition of illegal gambling that leaves little to interpret. Furthermore, no carve-outs are made for private or social gambling.
If you play in a low-stakes game with a few friends, chances are unlikely that your private gambling function will be raided. But the odds increase as the number of participants grows.
Such was the case in 2015, when police raided a Naperville poker game and arrested 13 people.
As reported by ABC 7 Chicago, officers confiscated $25,000 in cash, evidence of gambling, and three cars: a 2015 Lamborghini Huracan, 2014 E63 AMG Mercedes, and 2011 Porsche Panamera.
12 of the arrested parties were charged with misdemeanor gambling, and four were charged with possession of a controlled substance.
As you can see, there’s more to this bust due to the large game size and drugs involved. But you should still be careful if you’re going to hold private gambling functions in the Land of Lincoln.
Tribal Gaming
The town of Shabbona, Illinois has been fighting for years to build a tribal casino. And these efforts peaked in 2016, when the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe began lobbying for the right to offer gambling.
Located 70 miles west of Chicago, the small town originally wanted to build a 24-hour bingo hall. But the US Department of the Interior wasn’t convinced that the 128 acres owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi counts as a legitimate reservation.
Given that no tribal bingo hall was built in Shabbona, Illinois still remains without tribal gaming.
Video Gaming
In 2009, the Video Gaming Act was passed, clearing the way for bars, truck stops, fraternal organizations, and veterans establishments to offer video gaming terminals.It wasn’t until 2012 that the first machines were rolled out in Illinois.
Operators of these games must adhere to a number of conditions.
First off, each voting jurisdiction can decide whether or not they want video gaming terminals. To date, only around 40% of jurisdictions have voted to allow video gambling.
Other conditions include that video terminals can’t be placed near riverboat casinos, churches, or schools.
Where Can I Gamble in Illinois?
Argosy Casino Alton
Arlington International Racecourse
Balmoral Park Race Track
Casino Queen & Hotel
Du Quion State Fair Harness Racing
Fairmount Park Racetrack
Grand Victoria Casino Elgin
Harrah’s Joliet Casino & Hotel
Harrah’s Metropolis Casino Hotel
Hawthorne Race Course
Hollywood Casino Aurora
Hollywood Casino Joliet
Jumer’s Casino & Hotel
Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino
Rivers Casino Des Plaines
Summary
You can place your absolute trust in the real money gambling sites that have made our rankings. They have been carefully vetted by our team of industry experts, and every site on the list checks all the boxes. The sites are licensed, they focus on the needs of US players, and they provide a fantastic customer experience.
Every casino game that you would see at a full-scale brick-and-mortar casino is offered at these online gambling websites. There are sports betting options to suit everyone, and you’re rewarded with a handsome welcome bonus when you make your first deposit.
Gambling online is an exciting way to spend some of your spare time, and you can potentially win a lot of money doing it. There is no reason to sit on the sidelines when you can dive into the action whenever you want to at the best Illinois gambling sites.
