Illinois

With seven 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 a bit confusing. If a customer is looking 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, which means that greyhound racing and esports betting are the only two things that 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 officially launch. Other major 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 made their debuts in the state.

Some states do not have the luxury that Illinois does when it comes to 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 that it will end up in Illinois. We have already seen a lot of movement when it comes to who is staying and leaving the market.

All legal sports betting apps in IL at the moment:

Sports betting & gambling legislation in IL

In order to place a proper legal wager in the state of Illinois, a bettor must be at least 21 years old. 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 may please across the different products offered in the state. This rule, along with all other rules 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 are not offered to residents, bettors in the state do have the option to play online poker and partake in the state lottery.

Most recent updates from the IL sports betting scene

• May 8, 2024: The Chicago Blackhawks have received the second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft through the draft lottery. This comes one year after winning the first overall pick.

• May 6, 2024: Recently, Dave & Busters, the infamous restaurant and arcade franchise, announced the ability to wager on skill games at their locations. Illinois lawmakers are not keen on the idea, though, as they have developed HB 5832, which would ban wagering at family amusement centers.

• May 1, 2024: The Chicago White Sox finished April with a 6-24 record, which is the worst record in the MLB. They are now (+100) to have the fewest wins this season.

• April 25, 2024: With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected quarterback Caleb Williams. He is the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year at (+210).

• April 19, 2024: The Chicago Bulls have been eliminated from the NBA Play-In Tournament, which ends their season. They have not won a playoff series since the 2014-15 season.

• February 22, 2024: Illinois could see an increase in its sports betting tax, as Gov. JB Pritzker is proposing that the state double its current sports betting tax rate from 15% to 35%. Whether this will happen or not is still up in the air.

• February 22, 2024: The Marquee Sports Network, which owns the television right for the Chicago Cubs, has partnered with Circa Sportsbook. The partnership is a multi-year deal.

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 eight licensed retail betting locations in Illinois, so residents have plenty of options for in-person betting.

Other gambling-related news & stories from Illinois

• 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.

• September 29, 2023: Circa Sportsbook is now live in both retail and mobile in the state of Illinois.

• March 31, 2023: The bill under the name SB 1508 has passed through the Senate floor, and the purpose of the bill is to help make a change to the sports betting problem identified by the state.

• September 27, 2022: The Hard Rock Sportsbook is applying for a sports betting license in the state as they prepare for the building of the Rockford Casino.

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 revenue a month.

The sheer volume of bets the state sees certainly 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 fairly average compared to other states with legalized sports betting, but 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.

Top sportsbooks in the state in March 2024:

1. FanDuel (Handle: $433.8, Revenue: $41.4m)

2. DraftKings (Handle: $461.5, Revenue: $32.8m)

3. Betrivers (Handle: $79.8m, Revenue: $6.5m)

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)

IL sports betting revenue in 2024