On this page 8 sections
- Sports Betting in Illinois: Quick Overview 2025
- Land-based Betting Operators & Racetracks in Illinois 2025
- Online Betting in Illinois 2025
- Mobile Sports Betting in Illinois 2025
- Illinois Betting Site List: Legal Betting Operators in 2025
- Gambling in Illinois: A journey into the past
- Illinois Gambling Guide
- Conclusion
Sports Betting in Illinois: Quick Overview 2025
Illinois is one of the best states in America for sports, with a major market in Chicago boasting several professional teams and plenty of exciting college sports activities as well. As a result, it is only fitting that Illinois sports betting is on its way. In this guide to Illinois sports betting, find out everything you need to know about the recent launch of sports wagering throughout the state and what it means for those who are getting ready to place their bets. With the identity of many cities being so closely tied to sports, the development of the sports betting industry was welcome news to sports fans across the state.
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Land-based Betting Operators & Racetracks in Illinois 2025
Sports betting makes perfect sense for IL given how passionate the state is about its sports teams. And fortunately for bettors in IL, that sports betting is on its way thanks to the passage of Senate Bill 690 in June of 2019. That bill has allowed for the implementation of land-based sports gambling, which finally took off in March 2020. The gaming board has been taking applications from operators for some time and has granted the first of them over the last year.
The launch of retail and online sports betting in early 2020 was a welcome novelty across the state. With casinos and racetracks opening their new sports betting locations, players are already flocking to make their bets. While the coronavirus crisis made the initial launch somewhat less successful in the live arena, online betting has taken off well.
As of now, sports betting is planned in a total of 10 land-based casino locations in IL but the exact number of facilities that will be a part of the action will be determined as the licensing process goes on. No matter how many sportsbooks open, though, bettors in IL will be happy to know that the future of sports betting is certainly bright in their state and that a handful of sports betting locations in the real world are already open.
Online Betting in Illinois 2025
When it comes to online betting Illinois bettors have some good news coming their way as well. Senate Bill 690 also created permission for online sports betting to take place in IL, with the physical casino locations that offer sports wagering set to issue licenses to online operators. Online sports betting is now live in the state of Illinois and players can enjoy making bets at several online operators.
One of the exciting parts of this portion of the sports betting legalization in Illinois is the fact that there should be a decent amount of betting operators to choose from. With up to 10 casino locations set to start operating sportsbooks, that means that there could be 10 sportsbooks issuing Illinois sports betting licenses to online operators. Some of the land-based casinos have already started using their licenses to help online casino operators launch their projects, with BetRivers and DraftKings being the first two legal bookmakers to launch legal sports betting platforms.
Also worth noting here is the fact that online sports betting in Illinois went live before it did in many states that had a law regulating it for a longer period. States like New York have had legal sports betting since the summer of 2019 but have made no effort to include new online wagering in their repertoire. This state, meanwhile, has been aggressive about making sure that sports bettors have all of the necessary options at their disposal.
Mobile Sports Betting in Illinois 2025
In conjunction with online betting Illinois will have mobile sports betting as well. The sportsbooks that gain licenses to operate through the physical casino locations in IL will be able to offer their product to bettors via mobile devices as well. This will either be done through the use of a mobile app that can be downloaded or through the use of a mobile version of their website, which can be accessed via a mobile web browser. Bettors in IL now have mobile betting options through BetRivers and DraftKings and other mobile bookies are coming soon.
Mobile sports betting is especially convenient for bettors, as the ability to make bets as quickly as possible is so important in sports betting. Breaking news about the status of a player or coach can change the complexion of a game entirely, and having to wait until a bettor gets to a computer or a physical location could result in lines changing drastically before a bettor can make their selections. With mobile sports betting, that is less of a concern.
Illinois Betting Site List: Legal Betting Operators in 2025
| Operator | Bonus |
|---|---|
| BetMGM | 100% up to $1,000 Risk-free Bet |
| BetRivers | 100% up to $250 Deposit Bonus |
| Caesars Sportsbook | 100% up to $1,100 Risk-free Bet |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | 20% up to $1,000 Deposit Bonus |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | 100% up to $1,000 Risk-free Bet |
| PointsBet | 100% up to $1,000 Risk-free Bet |
Gambling in Illinois: A journey into the past
The history of wagering in IL goes well beyond the Illinois sports betting that has gamblers so excited for 2020. In fact, the history of wagering in IL goes all the way back to the 1800s, when riverboat casinos were run without being legalized on the state’s waterways. Since that point, things have been done by the books a lot more, starting with the introduction of the state lottery in 1974. In the 1990s, riverboat casinos were made legal in IL, which was ironic given that they were run illegally in the century prior.
It took all the way until 2011 for casino wagering to be allowed at land-based locations, which paved the way for the current 10 operating land-based casinos that bettors frequent. And despite those delays in getting casino wagering into IL, the state has done a nice job of being ahead of the curve when it comes to sports wagering. The 2019 legalization efforts in Illinois swiftly included both land-based and mobile sports wagering, unlike many states that are offering one or the other.
Also happening in 2019 is the expansion of wagering for casino games in Illinois. Bettors are going to be able to take on more gaming positions throughout Illinois casinos, along with more gaming machines at places like truck stops and airports as the limits on those machines have been increased. While the history of wagering in Illinois is one that dates back centuries, the last few years have seen a huge uptick in the wagering legislation that has been passed to make Illinois a better place to bet.
Illinois Gambling Guide
Sports gambling in Illinois is just one of the ways that bettors can get involved with wagering in this state. Here is a look at some of the other forms of betting that are popular throughout the state of Illinois, along with the legal status of each of those betting disciplines.
| Gambling type | Legal status |
|---|---|
| Land-based Casino | Legal |
| Land-based Betting | Legal |
| Land-based Horse Racing | Legal |
| Land-based Poker | Legal |
| Land-based Lottery | Legal |
| Online Casino | Illegal |
| Online Betting | Legal |
| Online Horse Racing | Legal |
| Online Poker | Illegal |
| Online Lottery | Legal |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Legal |
| Social Gambling | Legal |
| Minimum Gambling Age | 21 |
Conclusion
A very promising state
Sports is a huge part of the culture of the state of Illinois, so it only makes sense that the sports betting in Illinois is now also be a part of its culture as well. Bettors in Illinois are not able to bet both in-person and online, thanks to legislation that passed in June of 2019. Those options give bettors all of the tools that they need to make the best bets possible no matter where they are. Don’t miss out on your chance to get in on the fun now that Illinois sports betting is live. Get your bonus and start your sports betting journey in style.
Questions players ask
Can I bet on sports in Illinois?
Both retail and online sports betting is now available in the state of Illinois. Players can bet on sports in 10 different casino locations and several online bookmakers have already been launched under the licenses granted by these casinos.
What is the best sportsbook in Illinois?
There are several online sportsbooks already running in the state and BetRivers and DraftKings were the first to make it into the game. Today, players can get the best online betting experience by using these two operators.
When did legal sports betting in Illinois open?
The first retail sports betting locations were launched in March 2020, with the first online licenses also granted around the same time. Today, players in Illinois can bet in live casinos and register for online betting at live locations as well.
When did online gambling become legal in Illinois?
Online betting in Illinois became legal in June of 2019 with the passage of Senate Bill 690. Because of that bill, land-based casinos started applying for licenses to operate sports betting facilities, with those casinos then being able to issue licenses to online operators shortly after they are licensed.
Where can I play using my mobile device?
It took some time for the first sports betting apps to launch after the legal framework was set in place, but today players can place mobile wagers at DraftKings, BetRivers and other bookmakers that are currently in the process of licensing will soon be launched via mobile apps as well.
Who is responsible for regulating online gambling?
Online gambling in Illinois is currently unregulated when it comes to casino and poker gaming. Sports wagering will be regulated formally by the Illinois Gaming Board, though. While bettors can play casino games and poker at offshore sites due to those markets being unregulated, sports betting will be restricted to locally licensed operators.
What sports can I bet on in Illinois?
The number of sports that bettors can wager on in Illinois will look a lot like the wagering menus in other states that have previously legalized sports betting. Popular American sports like football and basketball will be options, as well baseball, hockey, racing, combat sports, and other popular sports that take place year round.