Illinois

With nine legal sportsbooks available for download in the state along with retail locations, bettors in the Prairie State have no shortage of sports betting options.

Illinois is one of the most prominent states in the U.S. when it comes to sports, and since 2020, residents have been able to wager on sports in both a retail and mobile setting. There are no restrictions on betting on professional sports in Illinois, but betting on collegiate sports can get confusing. If a customer wants to wager on a local in-state college, they must do so at a retail location. As long as the bet they are trying to make doesn’t involve one of those schools, they can wager on it online.

Daily fantasy sports apps and horse racing betting are also available in Illinois, meaning that greyhound racing and esports betting are the only two things residents are not allowed to wager on.

Online sports betting in The Prairie State

It was not long after PASPA was overturned before Illinois legalized sports betting. In June 2019, the state decided to join the growing list of states that had joined the movement. The bill that changed everything in Illinois was SB 690, which allowed all casinos, race tracks, and sports venues to become retail betting facilities.

This would also bring about three online-only licenses, so both retail and mobile betting would be able to launch around the same time frame. By March 2020, BetRivers became the first sportsbook to launch officially. Other significant operators have slowly followed suit of BetRivers, as FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, and Caesars were all operating in IL by the end of 2022. Most recently, ESPN Bet and Circa Sportsbook debuted in the state.

Some states do not have the luxury that Illinois does regarding mobile sportsbook variety. Since Illinois already has existing casinos and race tracks, the transition into sports betting was one of the smoother ones we’ve seen, and as a result, more licenses were handed out.

If a sportsbook gains popularity over time or bursts onto the scene, there is always a good chance it will end up in Illinois. We have already seen a lot of movement regarding who is staying and leaving the market.

All legal sports betting apps in IL at the moment:

Sports betting & gambling legislation in IL

A bettor must be at least 21 years old to place a proper legal wager in Illinois. This applies to both online and retail wagers. The positive is that all bettors in the state who are at least 21 years old can create as many betting accounts as they please across the different products offered in the state. This rule, along with all other regulations and restrictions, is enforced by the Illinois Gaming Board.

Since the state decided to change its rule about remote registration in 2022, users can also create accounts in the comfort of their own homes through remote registration. Prior to March 2022, residents needed to be inside the online operators' partner retail location to register for that mobile sportsbook. Whether a bettor places a bet in person or online, they are subject to a flat tax rate of 4.95%.

The only thing that remains illegal in Illinois is online casinos, which could change over time. However, with the current betting structure and how much the state has consistently made on a monthly basis, this topic likely isn’t a high priority. While online casinos or poker are not offered to residents, bettors in the state can play sweepstakes online poker and partake in the state lottery.

Most recent updates from the IL sports betting scene

• November 18, 2024: Following a heartbreaking loss to the Packers, the Chicago Bears have still not beaten the Packers since 2018. Chicago will now play Minnesota at home as (+3.5) point underdogs.

• November 11, 2024: The Chicago Bears have now lost three straight games following their loss to New England. Chicago has since opened as (+6.5) point home favorites to the Packers for week 11.

• November 4, 2024: As a result of their loss to the Cardinals, the Chicago Bears are now (+450) to make the playoffs. Chicago will host the Patriots next week as (-6.5) point favorites.

• October 28, 2024: With their loss on a Hail Mary to Washington, the Chicago Bears are now (+260) to make the NFL playoffs.

• October 24, 2024: In what could potentially be the first meeting between Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, the Chicago Bears are currently (-3) point road favorites.

• October 21, 2024: Following their big win over Michigan, the Illinois Fighting Illini will head to Oregon this weekend to play the Ducks as (+21.5) point underdogs.

• October 18, 2024: The Illinois Fighting Illini will host the Michigan Wolverines this weekend. Illinois is currently (+4) point home underdogs.

• October 14, 2024: By throwing for four touchdown passes in a win against the Jaguars in London, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is now (+165) to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

• September 13, 2024: Hard Rock Casino Rockford has officially opened its doors and become the 13th permanent casino in the state.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

Casinos and race tracks existed in Illinois long before sports betting was an issue that states could address individually. When SB 690 was passed in June 2019, all of these locations became legally allowed to be retail sports betting locations, which resulted in plenty of partnerships with well-known operators.

As we head into 2024, there are currently 13 licensed permanent casino locations in Illinois, so residents have plenty of options for in-person betting.

Other gambling-related news & stories from Illinois

• August 14, 2024: Hard Rock closes its temporary casino location in Rockford, Illinois, as the operator plans to open its permanent retail casino, which has been under construction, on August 29.

• July 8, 2024: State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. says in an interview that he aims to bring out a new gambling bill to legalize online casinos in Illinois in 2025.

• December 20, 2023: The Illinois Gaming Board approves an expansion of Bally's Chicago's operating hours, allowing it to become a 24/7 operation starting December 27. Previously, the property was limited to operating for 20 hours a day. This expansion aims to meet the growing demand for gambling services in the USA.

• October 27, 2023: Betway Sportsbook officially withdrew its application for an online-only license to operate in the state. No real details on the reasoning for their withdrawal have been announced.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Illinois is surrounded by states that follow similar sports betting legislation. The only surrounding state that does not have sports betting is Missouri, as Indiana, Kentucky, and Iowa all offer some form of betting, whether retail, online, or both.

Each state has a varying number of sportsbooks and casinos operating within it. To find more information on each of those locations, select the desired state below.

Sports betting revenue impact on Illinois' economy

Between the population and the large number of operators in the state, it’s not surprising that Illinois consistently posts big monthly numbers when it comes to handle, revenue, and tax income. It has not become uncommon to see IL reach over $1 billion in a sports betting handle and over $60 million in monthly revenue.

The sheer volume of bets the state sees undoubtedly helps when it comes to their tax revenue numbers. Gross gaming revenue has a tax rate of 15% for both retail and online, which is relatively average compared to other states with legalized sports betting. Still, since Illinois has a large population and number of operators, they typically do better than average.

By offering the amount of licenses Illinois does, the state has also made money through sports betting through this avenue. Every state’s licensing rules vary, and Illinois is no different. Online-only licenses have a $20 million fee, and each of them is valid for four years but can be renewed for a fee of $1 million. Retail license fees are based on 5% of the past year's or current year’s handle for that operator. However, the maximum an operator may be asked to pay in fees is $10 million.

Illinois sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: November 2023 ($1,375,398,292)

• Revenue: January 2024 ($129,511,642)

• Tax income: January 2024 ($21,642,278)

Latest IL sports betting revenue report breakdown (August 2024)

Reported by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB).

• Total betting handle: $877,957,910

  • Mobile betting handle: $852,823,983

  • Retail betting handle: $24,963,992

• Hold: 6.74%

• Adjusted (taxable) revenue: $59,169,811

• Tax revenue for the state: $13,648,922

What sports did IL bettors wager the most in Aug 2024?

1. Baseball ($236.3m placed bets)

2. Tennis ($112.2m)

3. Football ($81.0m)

4. Basketball ($53.6m)

5. Soccer ($46.8m)

6. Golf ($12.4m)

7. Boxing/MMA ($11.5m)

8. Motorsports ($715,226)

9. Hockey ($93,405)

10. All other sports ($75.7m)

Top 5 sportsbooks in the state in August 2024:

1. DraftKings (Handle: $328.4m, Revenue: $22.3m)

2. FanDuel (Handle: $266.5m, Revenue: $21.6m)

3. Fanatics Sportsbook (Handle: $62.7m, Revenue: $3.6m)

4. BetRivers (Handle: $60.1m, Revenue: $4.4m)

5. BetMGM (Handle: $47.1m, Revenue: $2.1m)

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

IL sports betting revenue in 2024

Looking for the latest Illinois sports betting revenue data? Don't worry, we got you covered. The table below shows the monthly betting handle, revenue, and state tax figures, including the change from the previous month (percentage in brackets).

Yearly revenue data