- Illinois has a strong gambling market, but online casinos remain illegal. Despite being home to one of the largest land-based gambling markets in the US — including 16 casinos, thousands of video gaming terminals (VGTs), and both retail and online sports betting — Illinois has repeatedly failed to pass legislation legalizing online casinos (iGaming). This is due in part to strong industry opposition and a lack of legislative momentum.
- Opposition from retail gambling stakeholders is the main roadblock: Efforts to legalize iGaming — including the 2025 bills SB 1963 and HB 3080 — have stalled due to fierce opposition from VGT operators, local bar and restaurant owners, and lawmakers from those districts. Their concerns center on potential revenue cannibalization, job losses, and declining foot traffic in small establishments that rely on in-person gaming.
- Key supporters cite budget deficits and regulation of the illegal market: Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Cristina Castro, and Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. support iGaming legislation as a means to raise revenue (estimated at $775M annually at maturity) and regulate an already-active illegal market. However, even with executive and legislative support, bills have failed to advance past committee stages in multiple years (2021, 2023, and 2025).
Illinois is home to a robust regulated gambling industry that includes online sports betting and iLottery, but the state does not yet offer legal online casino gaming.
Despite previous attempts to pass an Internet Gaming Act that would authorize online casinos (and online poker), and key support from Gov. JB Pritzker, Illinois has yet to rally sufficient momentum to get a bill to the finish line. Key opposition to date comes from the VGT (video gaming terminal) industry, retail gambling stakeholders, and voices concerned about a rise in gambling addiction.
The 2025 legislative session started out with promise for Illinois iGaming supporters, with companion bills introduced in the Senate and House. However, neither bill advanced out of committee or even went to a vote before being tabled for the year.
Social casinos available in Illinois
Sweepstakes casinos have become a popular way for Illinois residents to enjoy the thrill of slot machines, table games, and other casino-style entertainment — all without wagering real money. These platforms use virtual currencies and often offer sweepstakes-based prizes, making them a legal alternative to traditional online casinos. Whether you’re spinning reels for fun or hoping to redeem rewards, here are the top social casinos in Illinois:
| Social Casino | Minimum Purchase | Bonus | Redemption Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 👋 Hello Millions | $1.99 | 15,000 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins | 2-10 days* |
| 🎇 WOW Vegas | $1.99 | 250,000 WOW Coins and 5 Sweepstakes Coins | 2-8 days* |
| 🏅 RealPrize | $3.00 | 100,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweep Coins | 1-5 days* |
📊 Key facts and figures
| Population | 12.71 million |
| Online casino bills | SB 1963 (Sen. Cristina Castro); HB 3080 (Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr.) to legalize Illinois online casinos |
| Compulsive Gambling Disorder Bill | SB 118 (multiple sponsors) |
| Sweepstakes bill | SB 1705 (Sen. Bill Cunningham) to ban unregulated sweepstakes gaming devices (and online sweepstakes gaming sites that require purchase) |
| Online poker bill | Included within iGaming bills |
| Allowed | Retail casinos, horse betting (racetracks and OTBs), VGTs, retail and online sports betting, retail and online lottery |
| # of licenses/skins | Three skins per licensee |
| Licensing fees | $250,000 (with $100,000 renewal fee) |
| Tax rate | 25% on AGR |
Status of Illinois gambling bills
Illinois has one of the largest land-based gaming markets in the country, with 16 retail casinos, VGTs at around 9,000 licensed establishments, 15 retail sportsbooks, two horse tracks, and over a dozen OTBs. The state also allows online lottery and online sports betting, with 10-plus sites operational. While these forms of gaming generate significant tax revenue for Illinois — to the tune of $1.76 billion in 2024 — three previous attempts to expand legal gaming to include iCasinos have stalled out.
Governor Pritzker publicly suggested in late 2024 an openness to regulating online casinos as a potential way to help plug a growing state budget deficit, projected to reach $3 billion in 2025. Two legislators followed by introducing companion iGaming bills in February 2025; Sen. Cristina Castro introduced SB 1963, and Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. sponsored HB 3080.
The former failed to advance from the Senate Assignments Committee. Meanwhile, the House version was assigned to the Gaming Committee before being re-referred to the Rules Committee on March 31, essentially tabling the proposal for the session. Key opposition blocking legislation comes from Illinois Statehouse members representing districts that house several land-based gaming facilities. Potential cannibalization of land-based casinos and VGT licensees like bars, restaurants, VFW halls, and gas stations has those stakeholders concerned, and their representatives continue to put up a fight in their favor.
Senate Bill 1963
The companion Illinois iGaming bills proposed in 2025 set out to establish the Internet Gaming Act. The proposal would legalize online casino gaming with a 25% tax rate on adjusted gross revenue. It would set initial operator license fees at $250,000 with renewal fees at $100,000 and a maximum of three skins per license.
The legislation would also establish a workforce protection provision that prevents organizations that have reduced their workforce by 25% or more since February 2020 from being eligible for a license. It also would require operators to submit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) plans annually and host public workshops to promote diversity among iGaming suppliers.
Illinois Compulsive Gambling Disorder Bill
Senate Bill 118 (SB 118) seeks to include compulsive gambling within the state’s Substance Use Disorder Act. The bill’s sponsors include Sens. Julie Morrison, Laura Murphy, and Willie Preston as well as Rep. Daniel Didech. This bill would officially recognize gambling disorders as a public health issue and mandate that gambling tax revenues fund prevention and treatment programs. It would also require casinos and sportsbooks to display key information on how to access treatment for problem gambling. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in the 2025 legislative session and was referred to the House Rules Committee on April 7, where it awaits review.
Illinois sweepstakes ban bill
SB 1705, sponsored by Sen. Bill Cunningham, would amend Illinois’ Criminal Code by redefining “gambling device” to include electronic machines that offer credits and entry into sweepstakes contests based on chance. It also would stipulate that participation in games of skill or chance is considered a gambling offense when a purchase is required or a prohibited gambling device is used.
The bill would also elevate these violations to Class 4 felonies. If passed, SB 1705 would remove a previous exception in the Video Gaming Act that allowed use of unlicensed game devices for activities not considered gambling. Unlike similar sweepstakes ban bills proposed in several other states, the Illinois bill more explicitly takes aim at unregulated retail sweepstakes machines in direct competition with VGTs, though it would also likely have implications for online sweepstakes gaming operators.
Illinois daily fantasy sports bill
SB 1224 would create the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act, which would explicitly allow peer-to-peer and against-the-house fantasy contests with an operator tax rate of 10% to 15%. It would also require the Illinois Gaming Board to regulate fantasy contest operators, oversee licensing processes and ensure compliance with established requirements. The bill would amend the Sports Wagering Act by excluding fantasy contests from the definition of sports wagering. Proposed by Sen. Lakesia Collins, the bill did not go to a vote in the Gaming, Wagering, and Racing Committee and was re-referred to Assignments.
Online sports betting license change bill
Illinois SB 2145, sponsored by Sen. Bill Cunningham, would amend the Sports Wagering Act to authorize and establish regulations for daily fantasy sports under the act. This bill would also lower initial licensing fees for online sports betting operators to $15 million (from $20 million) and remove the cap on the number of available licenses. This bill suffered a similar fate as the other proposed DFS bill, expiring out of the Gaming, Wagering, and Racing Committee and re-referred to Assignments.
Steps required to pass
The chances of online casino legislation passing in the 2025 legislative session are essentially nil at this point. After filing in the legislature, the bill gets referred to the Gaming, Wagering, and Racing Committee (Senate) or Gaming Committee (House). The committee then must review, hold hearings, and may amend the bill. If the bill is not taken up by the committee by a pre-established date, it is then re-referred back to either the Rules Committee (in the House) or to Assignments (in the Senate), effectively tabling the bill for the session. That was the fate of the 2025 iGaming proposals.
If, on the other hand, the bill goes to a committee vote and passes, it would advance to the full chamber for debate and potential amendments. There, the bill would go to a vote, requiring a majority (60 of 118 in the House or 30 of 59 in the Senate) to advance to the other chamber. The bill would then have to undergo the same process of approval. If the second chamber amends the bill, the original chamber must agree with the changes, or a committee can be formed to resolve the differences.
Once both chambers approve the same version of the bill, it heads to the governor, who can sign it into law, veto it, or use an amendatory or line-item veto. If the governor were to approve the iGaming bill, it would take effect on the predetermined date (or immediately), and the Gaming Control Board would be entrusted to develop and enforce regulations for online casinos in Illinois.
Major supporters
Unfortunately for regulated online casino hopefuls in Illinois, the list of outspoken supporters is limited. But there are a couple legislators spearheading the fight.
Sen. Cristina Castro: The biggest champion of regulated online casino gaming in Illinois, Castro has now been behind three attempts to pass iGaming legislation. She has long maintained that internet casinos could serve as a source of tax revenue to help alleviate budget deficits and support important state programs.
In December 2024, she told the Chicago Sun-Times:
“In a tough budget year, you’re looking at ways to increase revenue. This is one tool for that … And it’s something that could be more palatable to constituents.”
In response to cannibalization concerns, she said:
“There is enough business to go around. We should do everything we can to shut down the illegal market.”
Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr.: Gonzalez joined in on the iGaming support in 2023, when he first introduced a companion bill in the House. He continued the effort in 2025, once again alongside Castro.
Gov. JB Pritzker: In addressing upcoming budgetary deficits, Pritzker publicly entertained the idea of passing online casino gaming, calling it “worthy of consideration.” While it’s not a full-on plea to legalize iGaming, his sentiment is certainly a positive for regulated iGaming advocates who haven’t had much hope to cling to for passage in Illinois. It is also a strong sign that if an iGaming bill did defy the odds and advance through both legislative chambers, it would more than likely be signed into law.
Sports Betting Alliance president Jeremy Kudon: Kudon advocates for regulating online casino gaming, a form of gambling that is already happening in the state on unregulated sites. He told the Sun-Times in December:
“All of this iGaming already exists in Illinois … All we’re trying to do is legalize, regulate and tax it.”
In response to the cannibalization argument, he said:
“People who play online blackjack are not the same people going to bars and restaurants and casinos to play. Those have a certain social appeal and physical element that brings people in.”
Major opponents:
Rep. John Cabello: Cabello opposes iGaming in support of his constituents and other Illinois residents who rely on land-based gambling revenue from sources like VGTs, retail casinos and tracks.
“When you start letting people play from home, do you think they’re going to go to those places and spend money?” He told the Sun-Times in December 2024. “It’s cutting off the nose and spiting the face.”
Keith Wetherell, executive director of the Illinois Licensed Beverage Association: Several hospitality industry and VGT establishment stakeholders have spoken out against legalizing iGaming. One such opponent stakeholder is Wetherell, who told the Sun-Times he thinks some businesses could see revenue drops as high as 40% due to online casino gaming cannibalization.
“It lowers foot traffic in our establishments,” said Wetherell. “That would be devastating to smaller bars and liquor license holders. A good portion of them wouldn’t survive. A lot of these are mom-and-pop shops. Gaming helps subsidize health insurance options and keeps people employed. They wouldn’t be able to shoulder that big of a loss.”
Expected revenue impact from online casinos in Illinois
Gaming research firm Eilers & Krejcik has estimated that regulated online casinos in Illinois at maturity (around five years in) would likely generate in the ballpark of $775 million in annual state tax revenue, assuming a tax rate of around 25%.
Past bills and history
The first legislative push for iGaming came from Castro in 2021. Similar to more recent proposals, that one sought to authorize online casinos under the Internet Gaming Act. The proposed bill, SB 1656, would have set a tax rate of 15% with a $250,000 initial licensing fee. It stalled in committee without going to a vote due to staunch opposition from VGT operators and land-based casino stakeholders.
A renewed iGaming effort came again in 2023, when Castro and Gonzalez introduced companion bills (SB 1963 and HB 3080) resembling the 2025 versions. They were both referred to committee, where they died without a vote, just as they did in 2025. Both of the 2023 bills faced pushback in their respective chambers from the same sources of retail gaming stakeholders concerned about cannibalization as well as lawmakers worried about problem gambling risks and retail casino job losses.