Online Gambling Illinois – Is it Legal? – Compare Best Gambling Sites in Illinois 2023

If you’re looking for online gambling in Illinois, our guide gives you the information you need to get started. We discuss the state gambling laws, list our best gambling sportsbooks and casino operators in Illinois and reveal the sign-up bonuses that you can’t miss.

Timeline of Illinois Gambling Legislation

1990 – Thanks to riverboat gambling laws, casinos are allowed to operate in Illinois, with further relaxations in 1999 to make this even easier for companies to offer casino gaming in the state

2019 – Sports gambling in Illinois is legalized, allowing operators to offer online sports betting, but not online casino gaming from within the state

2020 – The first sportsbooks running from inside Illinois begin to offer online sports betting to players

The Best Online Gambling Illinois Sites List 2023

Here is our list of the best providers for online gambling in Illinois, including why their service stands out as being one of the best on the market.

• XBet – The best platform for online gambling in Illinois
• MyBookie – A vast site offering many types of gambling for players
• Wild Casino – An Illinois gambling site that specializes in casino gaming
• BetOnline – Great casino options and the top sporting events covered
• Bovada – An Illinois sports gambling site with massive worldwide coverage
• Intertops – A site that covers it all, from sports to casino and poker
• Ignition – One of the best Illinois gambling sites for casino gaming
• MYB – Excellent casino service, in particular with fantastic live games
• Sportsbetting.ag – An Illinois gambling platform offering a massive choice for sports fans
• BetNow – A website that’s known for providing an excellent choice for punters across sports and casino

Is Online Gambling Legal in Illinois? 

In 2019, the Illinois gambling laws were changed, making it legal for online sports betting to take place. This launched in 2020, and since then we have seen several operators inside Illinois offer sports betting only.

The act did not legalize casino gaming, so if you want to access this, your only option is with an offshore gambling site. These offer sports betting, casino gaming and poker, and they are accessible to players because they do not run from inside Illinois – instead, they are licensed and regulated elsewhere. 

Land-Based Gambling in Illinois

There are currently nine casinos  in Illinois that offer land-based gaming, and the gambling act that was passed in 2019 allows these to apply for a sports betting license and casino gaming. This means that they can offer a combined gaming space for casino and sports betting.

More licenses have been made available, and it is expected that more casinos and sports betting facilities will be built in the state shortly. 

Illinois Online Gambling

The online gambling options in Illinois are also very strong which is great to see. There are Illinois gambling apps for those looking to bet on mobile and many options that give various types of gambling. 

There is an extensive range of gambling sites available for players to use, including many offshore sportsbooks, which can offer more than just sports betting to players. 

Illinois Gambling Age

If you would like to participate in gambling within the state, then Illinois’s gambling age currently stands at 18. This is in line with many other places, so it is doubtful that the Illinois gambling age will change anytime soon. 

Offshore Sites for Online Gambling in Illinois

One of the best options for players in Illinois is to use Illinois sportsbooks that are classed as offshore. These are not based inside the state – instead, they are located elsewhere, outside of America, and they hold a license and are regulated under those jurisdictions. 

These sites can offer any type of gambling with no restrictions, as they don’t need to stick to the Illinois rules to keep their license. Although reputation is critical with an offshore gambling site, they need to have proved themselves over time, which we take seriously when comparing and ranking the sites on offer. 

Explore Our Online Gambling Guides

Online Gambling Illinois – Types of Gambling Activities Available

Thanks to the many Illinois gambling sites available, there is a range of different gambling options for those looking to get involved. 

Sports Gambling

Sports betting is a popular option for online gambling in Illinois. However, providers need to offer not just local options but also betting markets covering events worldwide, something we value highly when ranking sites. 

Casino Gambling

Another type available is casino gambling, allowing players the chance to play some excellent casino gaming from the comfort of their own home or even their phone with an Illinois gambling app. Be sure to look out for live casino gaming too, a relatively new type of gaming where you live stream the game from a studio and play along. 

Poker Gambling

There are several online poker rooms available for players looking to hit the tables and take on players in a game of poker. These offer you the chance to play when you want and from where you want, getting involved in online games rather than waiting for local games to be set up.

Explore Our Online Poker Guides

Illinois Online Gambling Offers

When you are taking part in online gambling in Illinois, there are a wide range of offers that you can claim. These all give you a good deal while playing, some better than others, and they come in a variety of different ways, with the most common of these below. 

Matched Deposits

These are perhaps the most common offers out there and available across all different types of gambling. With this offer from your Illinois online gambling site, you can get bonus funds that can be spent, and these are based on a deposit you make. The offer is based on a percentage and usually has a maximum that you can claim. 

Free Bets

Free bets are an option for those who are placing sports bets. These are fixed amounts and offer you the chance to place a wager to that value with a free bet token, so you place the bet but don’t pay for it. Instead, any winnings you receive will be added to your account, minus the stake amount, which you don’t receive. 

Free Spins

In the way that free bets are for sports betting, free spins are for casino games. These allow you to have free spins on slot games, giving you a select number of spins and chances to win for free. These may come with restrictions, so look out for that, such as the games you can use, maximum winnings, wagering requirements, and more. 

Free Poker Chips

If you are going to play poker with an Illinois online gambling site, you should be on the lookout for free poker chips. These work a little differently from other offers and are usually based on how much you play over an extended period, giving you more if you play regularly, so look out for the terms attached. 

Gambling Site	Sports Welcome Bonus	Casino Welcome Bonus	Promo Code	Wagering Requirements
BetOnline	Sports – 50% up to $1000	Casino – 100% up to $1000	BOL1000(sports code)	10x sport40x casino
MyBookie	Sports – 100% up to $1000	Casino – 150% up to $750	MYB150 (casino code)	10x sport30x casino
Wild Casino	NA	Casino – 100% matched up to $5000	None	30x casino
XBet	Sports – 100% up to $500	Casino – 200% up to $500	None	7x sport30x casino
Bovada	Sports – 50% up to $1000	Casino – up to $3000	None	5x sport25x & 40x casino
Intertops	Sports – 100% up to $200	Casino – 100% up to $100	None	10x sport30x casino
Ignition	NA	Casino – 100% up to $1000	None	25x casino
MyB Casino	NA	Casino – 200% up to $1000	None	30x casino
Sportsbetting.ag	Sports – 50% up to $1000	Casino – 100% up to $3000	SB1000 (sports code)	10x sport40x casino
BetNow	Sports – 100% up to $500	Casino – 100% up to $500	BN100	15x sport15x casino

How Gambling is Taxed in Illinois

Regardless of where they are from, gambling winnings are classed as personal income and taxed based on this in Illinois. The current Illinois gambling taxes are 4.95%, which is a flat rate on all income, and Illinois is one of nine states that has this in place on income. 

Best Illinois Online Gambling Sites Reviewed

1. XBet – Best overall online gambling Illinois site with great casino options and all the top sporting events covered

XBet offers a range of gambling services, making them an all-round site for online gambling in Illinois. However, the stand out here is their sports coverage, mainly because the site focuses on the top sporting events such as NFL. 

These are showcased on the site menu system, with quick links to many of them, offering you the chance to be inside the big betting markets in just one click, on both mobile and desktop. Those looking to combine this with casino gaming will see that the live casino section here is very impressive, with a wide range of rooms to choose from. 

If you are a new player, there is a 100% matched sports offer up to $500 and a 200% matched casino offers up to $500 for you to claim. With sports, there is a 7x wagering requirement to hit while the casino offer has a 30x requirement. 

XBet Pros

• Excellent site navigation thanks to quick links
• Betting platform designed for the biggest events and games
• Fantastic welcome bonus for both sports and casino players
• Competitive odds for sports betting

XBet Cons

• Live betting can be slightly complex

2. MyBookie – A vast site offering many types of gambling for players

The MyBookie service is best known for sports betting, but they offer casino gaming and eSports alongside this. There are some fantastic deals on this site, with big odds in the sports section and top casino offers to claim, making them one of the best value for money sites for online gambling in Illinois.

Look out for fantastic coverage of the big US sports leagues in the sports section including NBA, with excellent markets, some specials, and great odds to claim. If you want casino gaming, one big highlight here is the number of slots, especially jackpot slots – a significant positive here. 

There is a welcome offer for sports players – a 100% matched offer up to $1000 and a casino welcome offer of 150% matched up to $750. Use MYB150 for the casino offer, there is no sports code and the wagering requirements are 10x for sports and 30x for casino. 

MyBookie Pros

• Two great welcome offers to claim as a new player
• Known for providing great sports odds
• Excellent casino, including many slots and some with big jackpots
• Great coverage of US sports leagues for those betting at home

MyBookie Cons

• A complex site to navigate

3. Wild Casino – An Illinois gambling site that specializes in casino gaming

As the name suggests, The Wild Casino is a site that focuses on casino gaming and nothing else, so if you want a site dedicated to this, then here we have the Illinois online gambling site for you. They have hundreds of slots, a range of live games that look great, plus regular table and card games to keep you entertained. 

On top of this, look out for many promotions and offers, which will ensure you are getting a great deal as you play with them. They accept high rollers and have a good reputation with this, which is also great to see, as we want online gambling in Illinois to be accessible for all. 

If you are new to the site, you can claim the welcome bonus, a 100% matched offer up to $1000. The best element of this offer is that you can claim it five times, so there is up to $5000 up for grabs, making this an excellent deal for all new players to enjoy.

 

Wild Casino Pros

• Massive welcome bonus on offer for new casino players
• A site with a reputation of catering for high rollers
• Look out for regular promotions and offers on the site 
• Excellent game coverage, with hundreds to keep you entertained

Wild Casino Cons

• The site offers casino gaming only

4. BetOnline – The best platform for online gambling in Illinois

If you want online gambling in Illinois, there are fewer bigger names than BetOnline. They have a reputation for having excellent service and then have the service that backs that up. Here you will find all types of gambling, sports, casino, poker, eSports and racing, all for you to enjoy. 

Size is the key here – there are thousands of daily sports betting markets, hundreds of casino games, many poker rooms and a lot more for you to enjoy. In addition, the site has great reload bonuses available for players, which ensures you get a great deal after the welcome bonus.

The new player offer is a 50% matched deposit bonus on sports up to $1000 or a 100% matched deposit bonus on casino gaming up to $1000. In addition, the sports offer has a 10x wagering requirement, while there is a 40x requirement attached to the casino offer. 

BetOnline Pros

• A big welcome offer for new players
• Keep getting a great deal thanks to reload bonuses
• Strong sportsbook, with thousands of daily markets
• Excellent casino options, including great live casino games

BetOnline Cons

• A slightly large and complex website

5. Bovada – An Illinois sports gambling site with massive worldwide coverage

Bovada are one of the biggest names in betting, with many people from all over the world knowing about their service. They offer everything, sports betting, casino gaming, eSports, horse betting and poker, so there is something here that everyone is going to like. 

When looking at online gambling in Illinois, what helps Bovada stand out is its sports service, where thousands of daily betting markets are available. The choice continues with casino gaming – there are hundreds of different games to choose from. If you want depth and great selection, this is precisely the type of site you should be looking at. 

If you are a new sports player, a 50% matched deposit offer is available up to $1000, with a 5x wagering requirement attached. Casino gamers can get a $3000 bonus when they sign up, which has a 25x wagering requirement for slots and 40x for other game types.

 

Bovada Pros

• Two great welcome bonuses for new players
• The excellent deal continues with further offers and promotions
• Excellent sportsbook offering thousands of markets daily
• Great choice in casino games

Bovada Cons

• Live betting looks complex on the site

More on Gambling in Illinois…

Learn about all types of online gambling in Illinois in our expert guides below:

• Illinois Sports Betting
• Illinois Real Money Online Casinos
• Illinois Online Poker
• Illinois Sports Betting Apps

Top 10 Online Gambling Illinois Sites Comparison

Gambling Site	Types of Gambling	Welcome Bonus	Promo Code	Payment Methods
BetOnline	Sports, racing, casino, eSports, poker	Sports – 50% up to $1000Casino – 100% up to $1000	BOL1000(sports code)	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person
MyBookie	Sports, racing, casino, eSports	Sports – 100% up to $1000Casino – 150% up to $750	MYB150 (casino code)	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person
Wild Casino	Casino	Casino – 100% matched up to $5000	None	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency
XBet	Sports, racing, casino, eSports	Sports – 100% up to $500Casino – 200% up to $500	None	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person
Bovada	Sports, racing, casino, eSports, poker	Sports – 50% up to $1000Casino – up to $3000	None	Debit cards, credit cards, Rapid Transfer
Intertops	Sports, casino, eSports, poker	Sports – 100% up to $200Casino – 100% up to $100	None	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Skrill, Neteller
Ignition	Casino	Casino – 100% up to $1000	None	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency
MyB Casino	Casino	Casino – 200% up to $1000	None	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person
Sportsbetting.ag	Sports, racing, casino, eSports, poker	Sports – 50% up to $1000Casino – 100% up to $3000	SB1000 (sports code)	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person
BetNow	Sports, racing, casino, eSports	Sports – 100% up to $500Casino – 100% up to $5000	BN100	Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person

How to Get Started with an Illinois Gambling Site

If you would like to get started with Illinois online gambling, then here we are going to detail the simple steps you need to take to sign up and start wagering. In this example, we will use XBet as the gambling site, but many sites are very similar when it comes to the sign-up process. 

1. Follow our link above to visit the XBet website – this will take you to their landing page.
2. Look for the big green ‘Join Now’ button on the site, press this to start the process.
3. Fill in the form, which requires your name, address, mobile number, email and date of birth, and create a password for the account.
4. At this point, it is always a good idea to verify your account, do this by sending ID documents in to prove who you are, avoiding delays later.
5. Now it is time to make a deposit, head to the cashier section of the site, choose a payment method, and make a deposit, remembering the welcome bonus, so try and ensure you are eligible for that.
6. When those funds are in your account, it is time to explore the XBet service, check out the betting markets, casino games or poker rooms, whatever you want, and begin to place your bets.

Conclusion on Illinois Online Gambling

There are many great options if you are looking for sports gambling in Illinois, so players should find the ideal service to use. Each offers something different, with some offering a wide variety of gambling options and others explicitly focusing on just one.

Of the options available, the one that stands out to us is XBet, a comprehensive gambling platform with a fantastic service for players. Sports betting here is excellent, casino options are great and there is poker gaming too.

If you are looking for Illinois gambling sites, of the many that are currently available, XBet is the one that stands out from the crowd as being the best on offer. Claim your $500 bonus at XBet today!

Online Gambling Illinois FAQs

Where can you gamble in Illinois?

Many casinos offer you the chance to gamble in Illinois if you want to go to a physical location, plus a wide range of options online if you’re going to stay at home.

What kind of gambling is legal in Illinois?

Both sports and casino gambling are legal, but only sports betting is legal online unless you use an offshore provider offering casino gaming and poker rooms.

Can I gamble online in Illinois?

Yes, state operators can provide sports betting, while offshore operators can give you a wide variety of betting options, including sports, casino and poker.

Is gambling legal in Illinois?

In 2019, sports betting online was made legal in Illinois, while sports betting and casino gaming can take place inside land-based environments.

What are the best gambling apps in Illinois?

There are many great Illinois gambling apps but the one that stands out above the competition as the best is XBet, a site that offers an incredible service on mobile.