Online Casinos Illinois

Q: ⚖️ What forms of gambling are legal in Illinois?

In the past few years, Illinois has significantly relaxed its gambling regulations . Gaming formats such as sports betting have flourished. The land-based casino industry is growing with new construction projects on the way and riverboat casinos now being able to admit players while in dock. Illinois is also big on lottery and charity raffles as well. Probably soon online poker in Illinois will be available, along with other games.

The following expert review aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to the legal situation surrounding online casinos Illinois players might seek to enjoy. Currently, online gambling in Illinois is prohibited by law. Therefore, we will examine the reasons behind this decision and the specifics of online casino gaming in the US.

Thorough Illinois gambling law research
Complete expert overview of Illinois gambling laws
Prospects facing online casinos in Illinois

0 Legal Online Casinos
10 Legal Land Based Casinos
10+ Legal Social Casinos
6 Legal Online Sportsbooks

Illinois gambling history Popular casino games in the USA

Illinois Gaming Board
National Council on Problem Gambling
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Illinois Online Casinos – Current Gambling Laws in Illinois

With the advancement of digital technologies, Illinois gambling enthusiasts are naturally eyeing potential opportunities to wager online. However, Illinois online casinos are currently prohibited. While we hope this might change in the near future by changes in Illinois online gambling laws, at present, you might want to seek other similar entertainment formats allowed by the state’s laws.

While online casinos Illinois gamblers would like to enjoy are illegal at this point in time, you can still keep yourself updated about any upcoming changes in the IL gambling laws. In the meantime, the state of Illinois offers other opportunities to enjoy wagering, such as horserace betting, riverboat casinos, bingo, and raffles.

The Basics of Online Gambling in Illinois

While Illinois has allowed for certain gambling formats to exist, online casinos are still prohibited to this date. At present, wagering fans throughout the state can delight in horse betting, lotto, and bingo. Riverboat casinos are also available to those who would like to savor classics like Poker and Roulette.

However, not all hope is lost for online gambling Illinois enthusiasts. In 2019, the Illinois Gambling Act – SB 690 brought a ray of hope. The Illinois Gaming Board – the body that is responsible for gambling operations across the state – is working on the details applying to online casinos.

Online Gambling in Illinois Throughout the Years

Illinois laws on gambling were not always so rigorous. In fact, gaming for real money flourished in the 1880s, when riverboat casinos were very popular entertainment establishments. Later on, however, things began to change and regulation became stricter, ending up in Illinois online gambling laws prohibiting Internet-based wagering.

In the 1920s, a movement to restrict gambling began in Illinois. Nonetheless, in 1927 the state legalized horserace betting, and in 1974 it launched its lottery. Further, in 1999 the gambling became legal at riverboats while in dock, thus moving a step closer to land-based casino wagering. In 2009, Illinois also legalized video terminals gaming at certain locations.

Overview of Gambling History in America

In the yearly years, gambling was quite popular and a favorite pastime in America. Attempts to limit real money gaming were only sporadic. Some of the first organized movements against it appeared in the mid-18th century. Over time, the opposition grew and by the beginning of the 20th century, gambling was widely restricted. Nonetheless, wagering is still allowed in some places. Here are the only states in the US with legal online casinos and licenses:

New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement
West Virginia Lottery
Michigan Gaming Control Board

The Effect of The Wire Act of 1961

The Wire Act of 1961 has served as an attempt to combat US organized crime. President John F. Kennedy signed it into law in September 1961, and – since then – gambling activities in America have been severely limited. The Illinois online gambling laws function in compliance with the current legislation, therefore Internet wagering is unavailable in this state.

Black Friday 2011

Black Friday is a term used to describe the events of April 15, 2011, when the US Department of Justice issued an indictment against America’s three largest online poker sites. Thus, thousands of US poker players suffered a severe hit. While the legalization of online gambling is a relatively new concept in America, hopefully in future there will be Illinois online casinos to cater to the needs of poker players.

The Most Popular Online Casino Games in the Legal States

As you might imagine, online casinos offer pretty much the same games as their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Some of these include Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, and Craps as well as digital slot machines. If Internet-based gambling were not illegal, online casinos Illinois would probably offer the same games, which we will cover in the following sections.

The great thing about online casino games is that thanks to the latest technological advancements, they offer plenty of enhanced features and a more varied experience than land-based ones. As a result, users get to have more fun and reap greater rewards. To give you a more detailed look, we present here the most common games in states where online casinos are legal:

Blackjack
Speed Roulette
Online Slots
Texas Hold’em Poker

Online Blackjack

Blackjack is an enticing card game that requires players to possess certain skills to win and would probably enjoy great interest at Illinois online casinos. However, as all similar entertainment formats, success also relies heavily on your luck. Thus, the state of Illinois treats it as a game of chance that is subjected to the relevant restrictions.

One of the most popular variations of online blackjack is Blackjack VIP. This game is designed for high rollers who seek lucrative rewards and high-end thrill. The setting also reflects its luxurious nature. If gambling restrictions change, this variation would probably become one of the most popular games of online blackjack in Illinois, but for now you can play it in other states like Nevada.

Online Roulette

Roulette is one of the most popular casino games in the world. Unfortunately, due to a series of political decisions, online Roulette is currently illegal in Illinois. However, recently there have been attempts to lift the ban on digital gambling. So, hopefully, there will soon be plenty of online casinos Illinois users can visit to try digital Roulette.

A popular version of this game is Speed Roulette, where it takes 25 seconds from spin to spin to complete a round. While it is still illegal to play online Roulette in Illinois, there are other states, such as Pennsylvania, where you can enjoy this fast-paced and quite entertaining game.

Online Slots

Online slots are some of the most popular online casino gaming formats. These entertaining machines attract millions of users, and we would be thrilled to see them featured at any potential Illinois online casinos in the future. Unfortunately, at present online slots for real money are illegal in the state since they are chance-based games.

Slots are extremely varied in nature depending on a lot of factors, such as game mechanics, reward type, and more. For example, Starburst is a classic 5-reel online slot, which offers simplistic yet exciting gameplay. It is a very popular machine in New Jersey and local players would probably also enjoy it a lot if online slots in Illinois were legal.

Online Poker

While poker is a very popular game, Illinois online gambling laws prohibit playing it online due to some outdated negative perceptions. However, recently there has been a shift in public opinion, and – hopefully – local fans will soon be able to access a variety of online gambling Illinois formats, including poker.

Texas Hold’em is a very popular poker variation. Lots of online poker Illinois admirers wish they could access it over the Internet, just like players in Delaware do, for example. It involves dealing 2-hole cards face down to each player and 5 community cards face up in 3 stages.

Land Based Casinos in Illinois

For quite some time, land-based casinos in Illinois were prohibited by law. Thus, riverboat casinos were the major available casino gambling establishments in the state. However, a recent legislative change has allowed riverboat casinos to operate while in dock provided they receive an official permit and pay a fee of $250, 000.

This means that, in effect, these establishments can function as land-based casinos. Additionally, in 2019 Illinois approved the construction of 6 brick-and-mortar casinos to be completed by end-2021/early 2022. Such changes further encourage real money online casino Illinois enthusiasts to believe that they will also be able to enjoy digital gaming soon.

Illinois Land-Based Casinos Overview

Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

Hollywood Casino Aurora	🍒 1,000+ slot machines, 🃏 N/A table games
Grand Victoria Casino – Elgin	🍒 860 slot machines, 🃏 7 table games
Harrah’s Joliet	🍒 1,000+ slot machines, 🃏 N/A table games

General Comparison of Real Money Land-Based and Online Casinos

Land-based and online casinos are pretty similar in terms of the gambling products they offer. For example, both types of establishments provide plenty of slot machines and live dealer tables. Baccarat, Roulette, Blackjack, Poker, and Craps are the prevalent games in both brick-and-mortar and digital casinos.

However, land-based casinos offer a rich social experience and allow you to have fun with friends or meet new people, whereas gambling websites primarily target individual players. Nonetheless, the latter offer convenient wagering on the go and it would be nice if fans of gambling in Illinois could access them.

The Future of Real Money Online Casinos in Illinois

The future of online casinos in Illinois is still uncertain at present. The Senate introduced several bills in early 2021 that fuelled the hope to someday have the best Illinois online casinos. However, the video gaming terminal industry and land-based entertainment establishments strongly oppose for fear of losing market share.

The Future of Legal Online Gambling in Illinois

While the state has been pretty conservative on gambling activities in the past, lately there was a major turn in the Illinois online gambling laws. In 2019, the Illinois gaming expansion bill passed, thus opening an entire universe of wagering opportunities for both entrepreneurs and players alike.

Sports betting in Illinois has flourished, and recently the state ranked within the top 3 US sports betting markets. Riverboat casinos are now allowed to operate while in dock, and actual brick-and-mortar casinos have sprung up. There are a few major gambling establishment construction projects going on as well.

Online Gambling Illinois: No Legal Casino Sites at Present

Online casinos Illinois gambling enthusiasts can enjoy are still a mirage. Nonetheless, in the last few years the state has definitely moved towards more flexible gambling regulations, thus leaving space for optimism. Until then, you can visit states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey to play real money casino games.

Illinois is moving slowly but steadily to a more flexible gambling legislation, and online casinos might soon appear on the horizon.

Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

Gambling in Illinois

FAQs About Online Gambling in Illinois

To fully complete our thorough guide to the potential the future holds for Illinois online casinos, we have compiled a detailed FAQ section below. Please feel free to browse through the questions to find answers on the most common topics of interest regarding the online gambling industry in the state.

👮 Are Illinois online casinos legal?

Illinois online casinos are not yet legal at this point. However, in the past few years, the state has steadily relaxed its gambling regulations, and we hope that Illinois players will soon be able to enjoy Internet betting websites. Illinois has been known for its conservative attitudes towards gambling in general, but the shift in public opinion is becoming increasing obvious.

🤔 Are social casino sites legal in Illinois?

Тhe state laws have allowed social casinos, where people can entertain themselves without wagering actual funds. In any case, we expect the regulations to become more relaxed in the near future. It is clear that Illinois is becoming increasingly open to land-based gambling establishments and sports betting, so maybe there is hope for real money online betting sites, too.

📍 How do I spot a fake Illinois online gambling site?

Spotting a fake Illinois gambling site is easy, as there are indeed no legal gambling sites in this state. Illinois legislation is adamant on outlawing online casinos for now, so if you ever spot a betting website that claims to offer services to Illinois players, you can be sure it is fake.

⚖️ What forms of gambling are legal in Illinois?

In the past few years, Illinois has significantly relaxed its gambling regulations. Gaming formats such as sports betting have flourished. The land-based casino industry is growing with new construction projects on the way and riverboat casinos now being able to admit players while in dock. Illinois is also big on lottery and charity raffles as well. Probably soon online poker in Illinois will be available, along with other games.