Illinois Online Casinos: Legal Updates 2026

Real money online casino apps are not available in Illinois, at least not yet. But Illinois online casinos continue to be discussed amongst Illinois lawmakers each year.

Until then, Illinois residents have the options to consider sweepstakes casinos and social casinos, which offer casino gaming without any financial commitment. These free-to-play apps feature many of the top games you’d find at an online casino and you can still compete for real money prizes.

Though not legal now, we have all the information you’ll need to prepare you for the potential launch of real money iGaming in Illinois, including potential casino apps, casino games you’ll be able to play, and the rules that could accompany them.

Illinois Online Casino Details

When Will Online Casinos Be Legal in Illinois?

Each year, new legislation is introduced in Illinois aiming to legalize real money online casinos in the state. The latest effort in 2026 was House Bill 4797, introduced by Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr.

The latest effort called for a 25% tax on iGaming operator revenue as well as a $250,000 licensing fee.

Operators would be tied to one of the land-based casinos in Illinois. However, any of the casinos that had reduced their workforce by 25% or more upon receiving a license would not be eligible for a renewal. Any of the casinos that had done the same since February 2020 wouldn’t be eligible to apply for a license in the first place.

As it stands, sweepstakes casino sites and apps are legal in Illinois, and there are plenty of land-based Illinois casinos, as well.

US online casinos are only legal in seven states, including neighboring Michigan. The others are New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island. Maine online casinos are also legal through recent legislation, but iGaming will still need many months before launching.

What Online Casinos Could Be Available in Illinois?

The quickest way to an online casino license has proven to be have an existing sportsbook, so that’s the first place to look.

Here’s are the online sportsbooks available in Illinois, their land-based Illinois casino or racing partners, and their potential live casino counterparts:

Licensees don’t always carry the name of the online sportsbook or casino that you’re looking for, so when you see Penn Entertainment, Inc., as a licensee, just know that means theScore Bet. Your best bet when searching for an online betting app in Illinois is to simply look for the app name and don’t worry about who holds the license.

Depending on how many licenses become available for Illinois online casinos, you could also see Golden Nugget Online Casino, Horseshoe Casino, or others. It’s likely to include many of the top payout online casinos in the US.

Outside Illinois, online casinos in Pennsylvania are among the most established and player-friendly in the country.

Each online casino state also features promo code offers available for most operators within that state. That includes offers like the Golden Nugget Casino promo, the Hard Rock Casino promo, the Hollywood Casino promo, and the betPARX Casino promo.

Types of Online Casino Games

The general rule with online casinos is, if you can play a game at a land-based casino, it will be available at a live casino mobile app. With potential Illinois online casinos, we expect that to hold true.

Here are the types of games you’ll find at real money online casinos:

Online Slots

The closest like-for-like casino gaming experience comes in the form of real money online slot games. Many of the games you’ll find on your favorite online casino app are the same slot machines you’ll see on the casino floor.

There are traditional steppers with three reels, multi-reel slots, Megaways slots, video slots, progressive slots, and more. You’ll also find your favorite real money slot machines, such as 88 Fortunes, Wheel of Fortune, Cleopatra, Cash Eruption slots and many, many more.

Many of these top slot games and format types are included in the top available Illinois sweepstakes casinos as well.

Table Games

The beauty of playing table games online is that there’s always a seat available. You can play blackjack, baccarat, roulette and craps all on your iOS or Android device from your couch in Chicago.

Online casinos will feature several different versions of these games, which are powered by random number generators to ensure fairness.

Sweepstakes casinos in Illinois also feature many of the top available table games you’d find on any iGaming app.

Live Dealer Games

Those table games can be played in video format, or you can join a live dealer game and watch the cards be dealt—or roulette wheel spin—by a real person.

Blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and craps are among the games available at the best live dealer online casinos, while you can also find Texas Hold ‘Em and other poker games at some online casinos.

Not all sweepstakes casinos feature live dealer games, but you can still find them among the top apps like Betr Casino.

Video Poker

While some states allow online poker sites that feature tournaments and cash games between players from around the state or even multiple states, what you’ll find at live casinos is pocket versions of video poker. Triple Play, Five Play, and Ten Play are among the video poker titles you can play.

Peer-to-Peer Poker

Having real money online poker apps go live in a state is different than having an online casino app. Peer-to-peer poker is a separate entity that would need separate rules and regulations. They also feature different operators in some cases. Illinois could pursue having online poker be part of the state. It could also look to enter the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) to allow for Illinois poker players to compete against others in legal poker states for bigger prize pools.

Illinois Retail Casinos

There many options currently available for in-person gambling at Illinois casinos.

Advantages of Playing at Legal Online Casinos

Online gambling in Illinois is still confined to sports betting and sweepstakes or social casinos, but it only takes a little bit of googling to find an offshore casino.

Our recommendation is to resist that temptation, and if online casino gambling does launch in Illinois, you will certainly want to use the legal options. Here are the main reasons why:

• Security: Before online casino operators can obtain a license, they need to go through rigorous requirements that prove they can keep the information of their customers safe. While no site can ever guarantee 100% security, legal online gambling sites do a very good job with it. Plus, if your information is compromised, the licensing process makes it much easier for you to take action and rectify it. These regulated online casinos feature the top level of customer support options.
• Consumer protections: On top of the security protections, you are also protected by the Illinois Gaming Board, which will oversee online casinos. So, if you have an issue that needs to be resolved at an online casino and aren’t getting answers, you can go to the IGB for help. At an offshore site, you’re on your own.
• Responsible gambling tools: All legal online casinos have tools within their apps and on their sites to make sure you’re gambling responsibly. Whether you need to take a timeout, set limits on your time or deposits, or take the leap and self-exclude, you can take steps to curb problem gambling right there at your online casino.
• Claiming online casino bonuses: As real money casinos fight for your business, they will definitely be greeting Prairie State bettors with lucrative online casino bonuses and promo codes. These come in a variety of forms, such as free spins and deposit bonuses. They’re mostly for new users, but existing customers will also have the opportunity to claim regular promos.

Advantages of Illinois Sweepstakes Casinos

Just like real money online casinos, there are advantage of playing sweepstakes or social casinos in Illinois as well. They provide a safe option, as opposed to looking for any unregulated and illegal offshore gaming.

• Free-to-play: You don’t have to commit any of your actual funds to enjoy these apps. Spending is completely up to the user, but is not required in order to enjoy the app. Free currency is issued on a regular basis, so even if you run out, you can receive more at no cost.
• Top game offerings: You can also enjoy many of the type online slots and slot formats while using sweepstakes and social casinos. There are hundred and hundreds of games to choose from.

Tax Implications of Online Casinos in Illinois

Taxes are a major part of any online gambling legislation, for the operators, the government and the bettors.

In Illinois, one of the main reasons Gov. JB Pritzker is considering signing a potential online casino bill is the amount of tax revenue it could bring into the state. But for you, the bettor, how your online casino winnings will be taxed in Illinois is likely of more concern.

How Online Gambling Winnings are Taxed in Illinois

The first thing to know is that you have to pay taxes on any winnings from online gaming in Illinois, just as you do in any other US state. Winnings are subject to a 4.95% tax rate in Illinois, and the state does not allow deductions for gambling losses.

Reporting Gambling Winnings on Your Taxes

You need to claim your gambling winnings as “other income” when reporting your earnings. There is no minimum number for reporting your winnings, meaning anything that you win you are expected to report.

Online sportsbooks and casinos will provide a Form W2-G.

State vs. Federal Tax Rules for Illinois Residents

One key difference for federal taxes, compared to Illinois state tax is that you can deduct losses if you’re itemizing deductions on your federal taxes.

History of Online Gambling in Illinois

Illinois has a rich, often tumultuous gambling history, from the time of organized crime having a monopoly on it to the launch of online sports betting in 2020. Here are some key recent events that have impacted the Illinois gaming landscape.

February 2026: Rep. Edgar Gonzales introduces a House Bill seeking to legalize online casinos in Illinois with a 25% tax rate on revenue. The bill did not make it out of committee.

February, 2025: Two key online casino bills begin making their way through the Illinois state house and senate. Though neither made it into law, it improved the prospect of legal iGaming in the state.

October 1, 2024: The sports wagering tax in Illinois undergoes an overhaul, as it moves from a flat, 15% tax on licensees, to a bracket system, with the highest coming in at 40%.

March 9, 2020: Online sports betting launches in Illinois.

October 28, 2019: Gov. Pritzker signs the sports wagering act into law, opening the door for legal online sports betting.

Illinois Online Casino FAQs