If you’ve been wondering, ‘are online casinos legal in Illinois?’, we can tell you that the answer is no. Although two Bills have been introduced to legalize real money online gaming, it has yet to arrive in The Prairie State.
Never fear because sweepstakes casinos are an excellent option offering casino style games. They operate using two distinct virtual currencies, one of which can be redeemed as real money prizes. Plus, there are a growing number of online sportsbooks. In this guide, we’ll fill you in on all of these options and give you our top choices for Illinois gaming.
It can be a little confusing to try and break down the rules around whether online casinos are legal in Illinois. To help you quickly cross reference, this table has information on all types of gaming in the state and their current legal status:
| Gaming type | Legal restrictions |
|---|---|
| Real money online casinos | Not permitted |
| In person real money casino gambling | Permitted at 16 licensed ‘brick and mortar’ casinos in the state |
| Sweepstakes casinos | Permitted for Illinois residents |
| Online sports gambling | Permitted at licensed online sportsbooks |
| In-person sports gambling | Allowed at selected venues |
| Daily fantasy sports | Permitted across the state |
As you can see, playing at online casinos in Illinois for real money isn’t possible at the moment. However, sweepstakes casinos, which don’t involve any real money play, are a legal alternative that’s gaining massively in popularity across the U.S. It’s not possible to make a deposit at a sweepstake casino, or a withdrawal and that’s why this type of site is permitted under Illinois law.
Instead of using real money, all play at sweepstakes casinos is powered by two virtual tokens called Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins:
Sweepstakes casinos are legally required to allow players to enter sweepstakes for free. To facilitate this, these sites have developed lots of ways for players to win free Gold and Sweepstakes Coins, including:
When you first join a sweepstakes casino, you’ll often have access to a Gold Coin first purchase deal. This is not required to play at sweepstakes casinos or social sportsbooks but, if you do choose to make a purchase to extend your gameplay, look out for special deals which include free Sweepstakes Coins on the side.
This straightforward bonus gives players free Gold Coins when they log into their account. Sometimes, the amount you receive increases when you log in for several days in a row. You might also find that this bonus includes free Sweepstakes Coins alongside your GC.
Sweeps casinos host regular free GC and SC giveaways via their Facebook, Instagram and social channels.
With lots of options for sweepstakes casinos in Illinois, you might be wondering how to choose between them. No worries, because we’ve been through all of the options and highlighted the best ones, all of which share the following advantages:
All of these sites give players the opportunity to redeem Sweepstakes Coins as real life prizes. At Crown Coins and RealPrize these prizes are gift cards and money while Stake.us includes other prizes such as their own branded hoodies.
Joining a sweepstakes casino in Illinois lets you play hundreds of top casino style games. That includes slots, which form the largest portion of the games at most social casinos, as well as table and live dealer games. There are also several emerging categories of games, such as online scratchcards.
As mentioned, all sweepstakes casinos are required to give players free Gold and Sweepstakes Coins, but the way they do this differs. We’ve outlined sites that offer innovative free Gold and Sweepstakes Coin giveaways, such as the slots tournaments at Stake.us. Plus, all of these sites provide a special sign up Illinois online casino bonus, as outlined in the table below:
| Site | Sign up offer |
|---|---|
| RealPrize | 100,000 GC and 2 SC |
| Crown Casino | 100,000 GC and 2 SC |
| Stake.us | Use code DEADSPIN to receive 560,000 Gold Coins and 56 SC over the first month of membership plus 5% rakeback. |
With generous deals and hundreds of slots, RealPrize is a slice of sweepstakes casino magic for players in Illinois. The welcome bonus delivers 100,000 Gold Coins and 2 Sweepstakes Coins immediately, plus a further 5,000 GC and 0.3 SC thanks to the daily login bonus. There are also frequent slots tournaments where players at the top of the leaderboard receive a prize.
Once you’ve joined RealPrize, you’ll have access to over 500 games including a who’s who of popular slots developers from Booming Games to Pragmatic Play. That means you’ll be able to explore popular titles including Gates of Olympus, Cash Pig, Panda’s Fortune and Sweet Bonanza. The site is also home to an assortment of other games such as the classic casino options poker and baccarat.
Crown Coins is another top pick among legal online casinos for Illinois players. Like RealPrize, the welcome bonus here delivers 100,000 Gold Coins and 2 Sweepstakes Coins for all new players. There’s also an optional first purchase deal that gives you 200% extra if you choose to buy a bundle of Gold Coins. For returning players, Crown Coins has an excellent VIP Club, plus a daily login bonus which increases when you sign in for several days in a row.
When it comes to games, Crown Casino has first rate credentials. The lobby features more than 450 titles including hold and link and jackpot slots and cool new slingo games which have a slots setup and a bingo format.
If you’re searching for a sweepstakes casino that has it all then Stake.us is the perfect choice. The portfolio includes more than 1400 slots from studios including Pragmatic Play and Hacksaw, as well as table games, live casino titles, scratchers, and Stake Originals.
There are regular sweepstakes casino promo codes on the Stake.us social channels offering a lot of opportunities for free Gold Coins and Stake Cash (the brand’s name for Sweepstakes Coins). Plus, if you use our promo code DEADSPIN during sign up, you’ll receive a bonus of 560,000 Gold Coins and 56 SC over the first month of membership. You’ll also receive an ongoing 5% rakeback on any losses.
Since 2020, it’s been legal to place wagers at online sportsbooks in Illinois and, at the time of writing, there are nine sports betting websites open to residents. In this guide, we’re going to focus on two of these sites which we feel rise above the rest thanks to superior promotions and an immense choice of markets.
The king of sports betting sites in Illinois, BetMGM launched into the Land of Lincoln in March 2022. This highly experienced sportsbook has an amazing coverage of sports markets and an excellently designed site which is easy to use even if you’re a beginner. The sports on offer include all of the most popular U.S. leagues like baseball, hockey, football and basketball. You can also make wagers on college level games and explore live betting options across different markets.
Join BetMGM and you’ll snag a welcome bonus of $1,500 in free bets if your initial wager doesn’t win. From there, you’ll enjoy many ongoing bonuses including a $100 referral bonus if your friend signs up using your link. The BetMGM VIP club is also one of the very best and grants you exclusive rewards including stays at BetMGM hotels and resorts.
Bet365 is a globally renowned online sportsbook that’s now open to Illinois players. The site has a range of excellent features including early cash out and bet boosts across selected events including the MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA. You can also watch live streams across hundreds of matches and access a huge range of pre and live in game markets.
The Bet365 site itself is simply laid out and easy to follow. There are clear sections to all of the most popular sports and the chance to customize your experience by downloading the native app.
New Illinois players joining Bet365 can grab a superb welcome bonus of $150 in free bets when they deposit and wager $5. Bonus bets expire after seven days and can’t be cashed out, but anything you win can be withdrawn.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), giving each state the right to determine the legality of sports betting within its borders. In common with many states, the process of legalizing online sports in Illinois betting took several years:
The Illinois General Assembly passed a law which permitted sports gambling, headed by Governor J.B. Pritzker. Pritzker also authorized the construction of six new retail casinos.
The first retail sportsbook opened in the state. Many were temporarily closed soon after due to the Pandemic.
The first online sportsbook went live in Illinois. At this point, anyone wishing to place sports wagers online was required to physically attend a retail sportsbook to register for a new account. In March 2022, this requirement was lifted.
Stake.us was launched across the U.S., including in Illinois.
Two separate bills were introduced before the Illinois General Assembly, by Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr and Sen. Cristina Castro, calling for the legalization of real money online casinos.
Sweepstakes casino Crown Coins launches.
RealPrize goes live across the U.S., including Illinois.
There’s a strong possibility that Illinois could decide to join states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and make online casinos legal in Illinois. Both bills introduced in 2023 progressed to the committee stage but didn’t advance any further through the legislative process before the sessions ended. New legislation would now need to be introduced to restart this process.
While introducing online casinos in Illinois could provide extra tax revenue for the state, it’s likely that Illinois’ VLT (video lottery terminal) industry would oppose any bills as these sites would be direct competition.
In this guide, we’ve answered the question ‘are online casinos legal in Illinois?’ and outlined how players from Chicago to Springfield have a great choice of gaming options. That includes real money sportsbooks like Bet365 and BetMGM which let you wager on your favorite sports, whether you’re a follower of the Bulls or the Blackhawks.
Real money online casinos aren’t currently legal in the state but there have been several proposals to introduce them. These have been unsuccessful so far but it’s possible that making online casinos legal in Illinois could be a reality in the future. In the meantime, sweepstakes casinos make a brilliant alternative for those seeking casino style games. You’ll play with Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins and be able to redeem the latter as real world prizes.
Real money online casinos are not currently legal in Illinois but you can play legally at sweepstakes casinos provided you meet the eligibility criteria. Sweepstakes casinos don’t support real money transactions, either deposits or withdrawals, but allow you to redeem Sweepstakes Coins, as real world prizes, including money. There’s also a growing number of new social betting sites in Illinois which allow you to make free picks on sports markets.
Yes, since June 2020, online sports betting has been allowed in Illinois. There are currently nine online sportsbooks but, for us, BetMGM and Bet365 are the top options. Not only do they have excellent welcome bonuses, they also have extensive sports coverage covering everything from the Bears to the Cubs.
While real money gambling isn’t permitted, you’ll still find that you can access many ongoing deals at sweepstakes casinos and online sportsbooks in Illinois. This includes free Gold and Sweepstakes Coins giveaways. So, although you might not find a no deposit bonus in Illinois, you won’t need to pay any money to begin playing casino style games. Keep a lookout at BetMGM and Bet365 for ongoing promotions too.
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