Sports betting is fully legal in Illinois. You can bet online, on your phone, or walk into 13 retail sportsbooks across the state. That’s the short answer, and if that’s all you needed, cool — go place your bets.
But here’s what nobody else is telling you. Illinois just became one of the most expensive states in America to place a legal sports bet. A new progressive tax rate cranked operator taxes up to 40%, and every single sportsbook in the state now either charges you a per-bet fee or slaps a minimum wager requirement on your account. The DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field? Shut down May 31, 2026. Two years old and already dead. That should tell you everything about where this market is headed.
We’ve been tracking Illinois since day one of legal betting in 2020. We’ve placed thousands of bets through every app in the state, hit the BetRivers Sportsbook at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines more times than we can count, and watched this market go from one of the best in America to… whatever it is now. This guide covers all of it — the good, the bad, and the absolute mess that is Illinois betting taxes in 2026.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois legalized sports betting through SB 690, signed by Governor Pritzker on June 28, 2019. Online betting launched in June 2020, and the state dropped its annoying in-person registration requirement on March 5, 2022. You must be 21 or older and physically located within Illinois state lines to place a bet.
Ten online sportsbooks hold active licenses from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB). Thirteen retail sportsbook locations are spread across casinos, racetracks, and — until last month — Wrigley Field. Illinois is the fourth-largest sports betting market in America by total handle, trailing only New York, New Jersey, and Nevada.
That all sounds great on paper. The reality is more complicated. Illinois legislators have turned this market into a tax experiment that’s costing bettors real money every time they tap “place bet” on their phones. More on that in a second.
What Is the Illinois Sports Betting Tax, and Why Should You Care?
This is the biggest story in Illinois sports betting right now, and almost nobody is covering it properly. So let’s break it down.
When sports betting launched in Illinois in 2020, operators paid a flat 15% tax on revenue. Reasonable. Competitive with other states. Then in 2024, the legislature passed a progressive tax structure that jacked rates way up:
For context, FanDuel pulled in $491 million in Illinois revenue in 2024. DraftKings hit $418 million. Both operators are paying the maximum 40% rate on a massive chunk of their earnings. Combined, those two companies alone sent over $200 million in taxes to Springfield.
But that wasn’t enough. The 2025 state budget added a per-wager tax on top of everything else. Starting July 1, 2025, sportsbooks owe $0.25 per bet for the first 20 million wagers, then $0.50 per bet after that. And guess who’s actually paying that tax?
You are.
How Each Illinois Sportsbook Passes the Tax to You
Every operator in the state found a way to push this cost onto bettors. Some charge you directly. Others raised minimum bet amounts so low-stakes bettors can’t even play:
Sportsbooks charging per-bet fees:
- bet365: $0.25 on bets under $10
- Caesars: $0.25 per bet
- DraftKings: $0.25 per bet (first 20M total bets), $0.50 after that — waived for parlays $10+, singles $50+, or Silver tier members
- Fanatics: $0.25 per bet
- FanDuel: $0.50 per bet, flat, no exceptions
Sportsbooks with minimum bet requirements instead:
- BetMGM: $2.50 minimum per bet
- BetRivers: $1 minimum per bet
- Circa Sports: $10 minimum per bet
- Hard Rock Bet: $2 minimum per bet
Look — $0.25 per bet doesn’t sound like much. But if you’re a daily bettor making 5-10 wagers, that’s $1.25 to $5.00 per day in pure tax. Over a full NFL season? That adds up to hundreds of dollars that aren’t going toward your bankroll. FanDuel is even worse at $0.50 a pop. And small bettors who used to throw $1 or $2 on a prop just… can’t anymore at some of these books.
[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: illinois-sports-betting-tax-comparison-chart.jpg — Bar chart comparing per-bet fees and minimum wager requirements across all 10 Illinois sportsbooks, organized by fee type]
The DWZ Illinois Tax Impact Breakdown
We ran numbers on what this actually costs an average Illinois bettor per month. If you place 150 bets per month — pretty standard for someone betting props and parlays during football season — here’s the damage:
- FanDuel: $75/month in per-bet taxes
- DraftKings: $37.50 – $75/month (depends on tier and bet size)
- Caesars: $37.50/month
- bet365: $0 – $37.50 (depends on bet size)
- Offshore books (Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie): $0
That last line matters more than you think. We’ll get there.
What Are the Best Online Sportsbooks for Illinois Players?
The “best” sportsbook in Illinois depends entirely on how you bet. And honestly? The answer changed a lot after July 2025.
If you’re a high-volume bettor placing mostly small wagers — $5 props, $3 player props, micro parlays — the regulated Illinois books are bleeding you dry with per-bet fees. BetRivers with its $1 minimum and no per-bet tax might be your best legal option. BetMGM at $2.50 minimum works too if you’re not betting tiny amounts.
For bigger bettors doing $50+ singles and $10+ parlays, DraftKings still makes sense because they waive the fee at those thresholds. Their app is solid and their odds tend to be competitive, even if their CEO spent half of 2025 publicly trashing Illinois’s tax laws.
But we’d be doing you dirty if we didn’t mention the offshore option. Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, and BetUS all serve Illinois bettors with zero per-bet fees, zero minimum requirements, and — in many cases — tighter odds than what you’re getting from the regulated books. That’s not a theory. The tax burden on Illinois operators is pushing them to widen their juice to make up revenue, and offshore books don’t have that pressure.
We’ve been testing MyBookie extensively and the odds on NFL sides have consistently beaten the Illinois-licensed competition. BetUS runs a tight operation too, especially if you like live betting.
*Waived at higher bet thresholds and loyalty tiers
Which Illinois Sports Betting Apps Actually Work Well?
All ten licensed online sportsbooks have mobile apps for iOS and Android. Registration is fully remote — no casino visit needed since March 2022. Download, verify your identity, fund your account, and start betting from your couch. Geolocation tech confirms you’re in Illinois.
Real talk: the app experience varies a lot. DraftKings has the slickest interface and the most bet types. BetRivers runs smooth but looks like it was designed in 2019. Caesars crashes more than it should. bet365 is clean and fast, especially for live betting, but their Illinois user base is smaller so lines can be slow to move.
Hard Rock Bet and Circa Sports are the newest entrants and still building out their prop markets. Fanatics rebranded from PointsBet and the app is… fine. Nothing special.
For sign-ups, you’ll need a valid Illinois ID (or proof of address), your Social Security number, and about five minutes. Most books verify you instantly. Deposits hit through debit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Pay. If you go the offshore route with Bovada or BetOnline, Bitcoin deposits are the move — instant, no fees, and our crypto betting guide walks through exactly how that works.
What Are Illinois Gambling Laws for Casino, DFS, and Lottery?
Sports betting gets all the headlines, but here’s the full picture of what’s legal in Illinois:
- Online Sports Betting: Fully legal. Ten licensed operators. 21+.
- Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): Legal and regulated under the Fantasy Sports Wagering Act signed in 2020. DraftKings and FanDuel are the biggest DFS platforms operating here. 18+ for DFS, which is weird since sports betting is 21+.
- Online Casino: Not legal. This is the big gap. Illinois has no legal iGaming (online slots, table games, etc.). There have been multiple attempts to pass online casino legislation, and none have made it through. Don’t hold your breath on 2026 either.
- Lottery: The Illinois Lottery is alive and well, including online ticket purchases through the official app. Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto, scratch-offs — all available.
- Poker: Legal at licensed casinos. No online poker.
- Minimum Gambling Age: 21 for sports betting and casino gambling. 18 for DFS, lottery, and horse racing.
- Tax on Winnings: Illinois taxes gambling winnings as income. The state rate is a flat 4.95%. Federal taxes also apply — the IRS takes its cut at 24% on wins over $600. If you hit a big parlay, set aside about 30% before you start spending.
The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) regulates everything from casinos to sportsbooks to video gaming terminals. Their office is at 160 North LaSalle Street in Chicago, and they don’t mess around — they sent cease-and-desist letters to 11 illegal operators in early 2025 alone.
Where Can You Bet In Person? Illinois Retail Sportsbooks and Casinos
Illinois has 17 licensed casinos and 13 operational retail sportsbooks. Here’s where the action is:
Chicago Area:
- BetRivers at Rivers Casino (Des Plaines) — The flagship. Biggest sportsbook in the state. Wall of screens, comfortable seating, full bar. We’ve spent entire Sundays here during Bears season and the energy is legit. About 20 minutes from downtown depending on traffic.
- Wind Creek Casino Southland (East Hazel Crest) — South side option. Newer facility, decent sportsbook.
Northern Illinois:
- Caesars at Grand Victoria Casino (Elgin) — Solid mid-size sportsbook. Good for northwest suburbs residents.
- Circa Sports at American Place Casino (Waukegan) — The temporary casino while they build the permanent venue. Circa’s sportsbook brand is respected in Vegas, and they’re bringing that same energy to Lake County.
- Hard Rock Casino Rockford — Opened 2024. Full Hard Rock experience with retail sportsbook.
Chicagoland Racetrack Books:
- Fanatics at Hawthorne Race Course (Stickney) — Combine horse racing with sports betting.
- theScore Bet at Hollywood Casino Aurora — Smaller but functional.
Downstate:
- DraftKings at Casino Queen (East St. Louis) — Right across the river from St. Louis.
- FanDuel at Fairmount Park (Collinsville) — Another metro-east option.
- FanDuel at Par-A-Dice (East Peoria) — Central Illinois.
- Hollywood Casino Joliet — Southwest of Chicago.
- Bally Bet in Quad Cities (Rock Island) — Western Illinois.
RIP: DraftKings at Wrigley Field closed May 31, 2026 after just two years. It was the only sportsbook located inside an active sports venue in Illinois. DraftKings cited the state’s new tax structure as the reason. That’s a damn shame — betting at Wrigley during a Cubs game was one of the coolest retail sportsbook experiences anywhere. Gone now.
[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: rivers-casino-des-plaines-sportsbook-interior.jpg — Interior photo of the BetRivers sportsbook at Rivers Casino Des Plaines showing the main betting wall, seating area, and bar during a game day]
How Does Illinois Sports Betting Revenue Compare to Other States?
Illinois is a top-five sports betting market in America. The numbers tell the story:
See that hold percentage in the last two rows? It jumped from the 7-8% range to 9-14%. That’s not a coincidence. When operators face higher taxes, they widen their margins. A higher hold means the sportsbook is keeping more of every dollar wagered. Which means you’re losing more per bet, on average, than you were a year ago.
Nobody is talking about this, and it’s the most important number for Illinois bettors to understand. A hold going from 8% to 14% means for every $100 wagered, the house is now keeping $14 instead of $8. Over thousands of bets, that’s the difference between a break-even season and being down a few grand.
For comparison, New Jersey runs a hold around 8-9%. Nevada sits at about 6-7%. Illinois used to be right there with Jersey. Not anymore.
Nationally, Illinois ranks fourth in all-time handle as of mid-2026. The state generates over $1 billion in handle most months, with football season pushing that above $1.5 billion.
Can You Bet on Illinois College Teams?
No. Illinois bans wagering on any college team based in the state. That includes Illinois, Northwestern, DePaul, Loyola Chicago, Illinois State, Northern Illinois, SIU — all of them. Player props on ALL college sports are also prohibited, regardless of the teams playing.
You can bet on out-of-state college games (moneylines, spreads, totals) and on major events like March Madness and the College Football Playoff. Just not when an Illinois-based school is involved.
This restriction has been in place since legalization and doesn’t look like it’s changing anytime soon.
What Are the Best Offshore Sportsbooks for Illinois Bettors?
Given everything we just laid out about taxes and surcharges, offshore sportsbooks deserve serious consideration from Illinois bettors. These books operate outside US regulation, serve players in all 50 states, and don’t deal with any of the tax headaches dragging down the legal market.
- Bovada is the biggest name in offshore betting and our top pick for Illinois players. Their odds consistently beat what you’ll find on DraftKings or FanDuel for NFL and NBA sides. Bitcoin withdrawals process in under 24 hours. The prop market is deep. If you’ve been getting nickel-and-dimed by Illinois per-bet fees, Bovada feels like a breath of fresh air.
- BetOnline runs the tightest lines we’ve seen on college football and MLB. Their live betting platform is fast, and they offer same-game parlays across most major sports. Crypto deposits and withdrawals are smooth and painless.
- MyBookie is where we go for props and boosted parlays. Their bonuses are aggressive — check the current MyBookie bonus offers for what’s running right now. Customer service is responsive and they’ve never given us trouble on a payout.
- BetUS rounds out the list. Solid all-around book, good for beginners because their interface is clean and simple. Their live chat support is actually helpful, which is more than we can say for some regulated Illinois books.
These aren’t regulated by the IGB. That means no state-level consumer protections apply. We’ve been using all four for years without issues, but you should know what you’re getting into. Check our detailed BetUS breakdown and MyBookie review for the full picture.
How Do Illinois Betting Apps Compare to Neighboring States?
If you live near a state border, this comparison matters. A lot.
- Indiana: Legal since 2019. Flat 9.5% operator tax rate. No per-bet surcharges. If you’re in the south suburbs or anywhere near the IL-IN border, driving east to place bets in Indiana literally saves you money. Same operators, better odds.
- Iowa: Legal since 2019. 6.75% tax rate. Smaller market with fewer operators, but the tax situation is vastly better for bettors.
- Michigan: Legal for both sports betting AND online casino. 8.4% tax rate for sports betting. The full package that Illinois doesn’t offer.
- Missouri: Just launched legal sports betting in late 2025. Still building out, but Missouri’s already hit $1.5 billion in handle and the tax debate is heating up there too.
- Wisconsin: Still not legal. The Wisconsin sports betting bill has been grinding through the legislature but hasn’t passed yet.
- Kentucky: Legal since 2023. 9.75% tax rate on retail, 14.25% on online.
Illinois went from competitive with its neighbors to having — by far — the highest effective tax burden in the region. That’s not opinion. It’s math.
How Do You Start Betting Online in Illinois?
Five minutes and a few taps. Here’s the process:
Step 1: Pick a sportsbook. For legal books, BetRivers is our budget pick (lowest minimum). For offshore, Bovada gives the best overall experience.
Step 2: Download the app or visit the website. Legal books are in the App Store and Google Play. Offshore books use mobile-optimized sites — save the bookmark to your home screen.
Step 3: Register. Name, email, date of birth, last four of your Social, address. Legal books verify instantly against state records. Offshore books may ask for a photo ID upload.
Step 4: Deposit. Legal books accept debit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay. Offshore books work best with Bitcoin, Litecoin, or Ethereum — bank wires and credit cards are also options but slower. Check our crypto betting guide if you’ve never funded an account with Bitcoin.
Step 5: Place your first bet. Start small. Get comfortable with the interface. Don’t blow your whole bankroll on a 12-leg parlay because some TikTok guy said it was a lock.
One more thing: if you go the legal route, remember that every bet now carries either a fee or a minimum. Factor that into your bankroll management, especially if you like placing a high volume of smaller bets.
What Payment Methods Work for Illinois Sports Betting?
Legal Illinois sportsbooks accept:
- Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard)
- Bank transfers / ACH
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Apple Pay
- Play+ prepaid cards
- Cash at retail casino cages
Offshore sportsbooks accept:
- Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, USDT
- Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard — approval rates vary)
- Bank wires
- Money orders
- Person-to-person transfers
Withdrawals on legal books take 1-3 business days for PayPal/Venmo, up to 5 days for bank transfers. Offshore books process crypto payouts in 12-48 hours. BetOnline and Bovada are consistently the fastest on crypto cashouts — same-day isn’t unusual.
What Responsible Gambling Resources Exist in Illinois?
If betting stops being fun, help exists. No judgment.
- National Council on Problem Gambling: 1-800-522-4700 (call or text, 24/7)
- Illinois-specific helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER
- Text support: Text “ILGAMB” to 833234
- Gateway Foundation — Illinois-based treatment provider
- IGB Self-Exclusion Program — Voluntary ban from all Illinois gambling for 5 years or life. Apply through the Illinois Gaming Board.
Every licensed sportsbook app also has built-in deposit limits, loss limits, wager limits, and cool-off periods. Use them. Seriously. Setting a weekly deposit cap before the NFL season starts is one of the smartest things a bettor can do.
Where Is Illinois Sports Betting Headed? Our Take From the Rail
Illinois is a cautionary tale. The state had everything going for it — massive population, sports-obsessed city, early mover advantage, strong operator interest. Then Springfield got greedy. A 40% top-line tax rate, per-bet surcharges, and now the DraftKings Wrigley closure. The regulated market is getting squeezed, and bettors are the ones feeling it.
We’re watching handle numbers closely. If the monthly totals keep dropping — and early 2026 data suggests they might — legislators will have to decide whether they’ve killed the golden goose. The hold percentage spiking to 14% tells the story better than any press release. Illinois sportsbooks are keeping nearly double what they were keeping two years ago per dollar wagered. That’s not good for anyone except the state treasury.
Our advice for Illinois bettors right now: use the regulated market for convenience and promos when they’re worth it. Use offshore books like Bovada and BetOnline when you want better odds without the tax surcharge. And if you’re within driving distance of Indiana, keep that option in your back pocket. A 30-minute drive can save you thousands of dollars over a year of serious betting.
We keep our gambling legislation tracker updated with any changes coming out of Springfield. And our state-by-state betting news covers what’s happening across the Midwest, so you’ll know if any neighboring state becomes a better option.
If you’re curious about how different states handle wagering, see our breakdown of the California sports betting legal status for a deeper comparison of how the market works there.
Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois Sports Betting
Absolutely. Illinois legalized sports betting through SB 690 in June 2019. Ten online sportsbooks and 13 retail locations are licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board. You must be 21+ and physically in the state.
21 years old for sports betting and casino gambling. If you’re 18, you can play DFS (DraftKings/FanDuel contests), buy lottery tickets, and bet on horse racing. But no sports betting until 21.
You can bet on pro teams like the Bears, Cubs, Bulls, White Sox, and Blackhawks with no restrictions. Betting on Illinois-based college teams (University of Illinois, Northwestern, etc.) is completely banned. Player props on any college sport are also prohibited statewide.
The state charges sportsbooks $0.25 per wager for the first 20 million bets, then $0.50 per wager after that. Every single operator passes this cost to bettors — either as a direct per-bet fee or through minimum wager requirements. You’re paying it one way or another.
Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, and BetUS all accept Illinois bettors. These sites operate outside US regulation and aren’t licensed by the IGB. There’s no Illinois law that penalizes individual bettors for using offshore books. The practical advantage: no per-bet taxes and often better odds.
DraftKings shut down its retail sportsbook at Wrigley Field on May 31, 2026, after just two years of operation. The company cited the state’s aggressive tax structure — including the progressive rate up to 40% and the per-wager tax — as the reason. It was the only sportsbook located inside a major sports venue in Illinois.
Illinois has a flat 4.95% state income tax that applies to gambling winnings. Federal taxes add 24% on wins reported over $600. So if you hit a $5,000 parlay, expect to owe roughly $1,450 in combined taxes. Keep records of your losses — they’re deductible up to the amount of your winnings on your federal return.
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