Casinos in Illinois

Play at the Best Casinos in Illinois for 100% Safe and Legal Gambling

If you are an avid gambler living in (or visiting) Illinois, then you’ll be overjoyed to learn that there are a number of casinos available for you to play at. Not only are there plenty of gambling establishments, there are many casinos that are 100% safe and secure, so you can game in absolute comfort. In fact, with so many options available, it can be tough to decide which is the best for you!

 

There are a few things however; you can keep in mind, so that you can enjoy gambling at online casinos in Illinois.

 

History of Illinois Casino Gambling

The last forty years have constantly been a struggle to legally expand the spectrum of gambling in the state. It all began in 1974, where state lottery was made completely legal. As a direct result of this, as well as varying other factors, the laws on gambling began to loosen, giving way to many legal land based casino establishments which can be seen in the state today.

 

For the most part, gambling in the state is fully regulated and permitted under Illinois law, so you needn’t worry about handing over money to an untrustworthy establishment. With many options out there though, we understand that it can be a challenge to decipher which casinos are worthy of entering. This is why we have provided a directory of reputable casinos in the state of Illinois for you to browse through at your leisure.

 

Be sure to play wisely and indulge in best casinos that offer you a great all round experience including things like high payouts, promotional rewards and great dining options, so that you can maximize your enjoyment as well as hopefully bring in some of the big bucks from Illinois casinos list!

Illinois Gambling Laws

Illinois gives both visitors and residents a lot of gambling options. This is not at all surprising, considering the fact that gambling has always played a big role in the state’s history. The early settlers in the area had their own version of the lottery, and riverboat gambling was very popular in the 1800s here. Today, gambling in the state proves to be more a product of different changes in policies and laws that aimed to regulate a lot of gambling forms.

Casinos

The Riverboat Gambling Act was enforced in 1990. From that time, the riverboat casinos are only allowed in the navigable streams and are not allowed in Lake Michigan. Grand Victoria Casino and Par-a-Dice Casino prove to be popular choices for those who would like to play twenty-one, baccarat, poker, slots, craps, roulette wheel, klondike table, faro layout and some others. Besides, there are 10 land-based casinos in the state; some of the most popular are River’s Casino and Hollywood Casino. The legal gambling age for the casinos is 21.

Horse and Dog Racing

Betting on horse races is allowed in Illinois, provided that pari-mutuel rules are applied. For those who want to bet on live and simulcast races, there are three racetracks – Hawthorne Race Course, Fairmount Park and Arlington Park. It is also legal to bet on races through online betting sites, as long as the website is authorized and legal. The legal gambling age for betting on horse races is 18. Greyhound racing is considered as illegal in Illinois.

Charitable Gambling

14 games of chance, including Bingo and poker, are allowed under the state’s charitable gaming laws. They are legal in this state as long as only non-profit organizations are hosting the events, with the proceeds going for charity. The legal age to participate in these events is 18. Raffles cannot be conducted on where charitable games are being conducted, but there are a lot of other state-regulated forms of raffles.

Online Gambling

Illinois is actually one of the few states having made it very clear that online gambling is illegal. However, it allows video gambling in accordance with the Video Gaming Act (2009), authorizing the placing of up to 5 video gaming terminals in truck stops, retail establishments, fraternal and veteran establishments.

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State Lottery

Illinois also has its own state lottery that was authorized in 1974 under the Lottery Law. Interesting, but the participants may also buy state lottery tickets online – from the official website. There are few regular games, available for players, like Powerball, Lotto and Mega Millions. The legal gambling age for the lottery is 18.

 

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Poker

Poker games are considered as legal through the riverboat casinos and social gambling, but online poker is prohibited in the State. However, in 2012, when Senate President J. Cullerton presented legislation for online gambling regulation (including poker), first steps for its legalization were made. Although the legislation was aborted due to the procedural deadline, it seems that soon may be a new chance.