DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Implement Illinois Sports Betting Fees
By Robert Linnehan in Sports Betting News
Published:
- DraftKings and FanDuel began charging Illinois users a $0.25 or $0.50 per bet fee on Sept. 1
- DraftKings and FanDuel instituted the fees in response to the new Illinois per-bet fee for licensed operators
- Illinois users responded accordingly to the new fees
The Illinois sports betting fees are now here.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Sportsbook began charging Illinois customers a per-bet fee of either $0.25 or $0.50 on Monday, Sept. 1. FanDuel currently charges users $0.50 per bet, Caesars Sportsbook charges users a fee of $0.25 per bet, while DraftKings charges users either $0.25 or $0.50 per bet.
The companies announced the new fees earlier this summer in response to the state instituting its own plan to charge licensed Illinois sports betting operators a fee for every bet they accept.
Operators Responding to New State Fees
The sports betting operators announced the new fees in response to the state implementing its own fee structure. The state instituted a $0.25 charge on an operator’s first 20,000,000 online sports bets taken each year, which increases to $0.50 per bet for every single bet taken after the initial 20,000,000 bets.
Illinois began charging all licensed operators the per-bet fee on July 1. According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, the new fee is expected to bring in $36 million annually to the state.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Sportsbook implemented their fees on Monday, Sept. 1. Fanatics Sportsbook will charge Illinois users a $0.25 fee beginning later this year, but has yet to announce the start date.
DraftKings originally announced a flat $0.50 fee for all transactions, but amended its policy before it went into action. A DraftKings spokesperson told Sports Betting Dime that the fee structure will change depending on the bet type, bet amount, and is waived entirely for several types of applicable bets and status members.
“In response to the State of Illinois imposing a wager tax on sportsbook operators for each sports wager placed over the Internet or through a mobile application, DraftKings is passing this tax through to certain customers and/or on certain bets. Effective Sept. 1, 2025, DraftKings customers may notice the label ‘Pass through of Illinois Per Wager Tax’ on their bet slips. The pass-through amount on certain wagers will begin at $0.25 and will increase to $0.50 for certain wagers in excess of 20 million annual combined wagers placed on DraftKings. We will not be passing through the per wager tax on parlay wagers with a stake of $10 or more, singles bets with a stake of $50 or more, bets placed using a bonus bet token or bets placed by customers that are at Silver tier loyalty status or higher in the DraftKings Loyalty program at the time the applicable bet is placed,” the spokesperson said.
Nine of the 10 licensed Illinois sports betting operators have changed their policies in the Prairie State. Only one sportsbook, bet365, has yet to make any changes for its Illinois customers.
Circa Sports announced a new $10 minimum bet amount for Illinois sports betting customers, while ESPN BET announced a $1 bet minimum on Thursday, Aug. 15.
BetMGM, Hard Rock Bet, and BetRivers have also instituted or upped their minimum bet amounts in the state. Hard Rock Bet instituted a $2 minimum bet amount for users, BetMGM instituted a $2.50 minimum bet amount, and BetRivers now requires a $1 minimum bet.
Users Not Happy About New Fees
Illinois sports betting users yesterday reacted unfavorably to the new fees. Users decried the fee amounts, while several reacted with surprise as they believed the new fee structure would begin later this year.
Regulatory Writer and Editor
Rob covers all regulatory developments in online gambling. He specializes in US sports betting news along with casino regulation news as one of the most trusted sources in the country.
