US culture has a fascination with gambling in all shapes and sizes. Whether a resident is most interested in betting on sports, playing poker or online casinos, there is a fascination with gambling from the comfort of home that runs deep. Unfortunately, would-be players in Illinois opt not to participate. They do not do so from a lack of interest, but rather through a belief that any form of online gambling could land them in jail if state law enforcement agencies were to catch them in the act.

1. Illinois does not have any draconian laws against online gambling. Yet, legalized and regulated online gambling has failed to make a start there. In fact, even in the sphere of land casino gambling Illinois is way behind most other states in the country.
2. Online gambling is legal in Illinois as long as you are a resident and not a business entity. The Illinois Compiled Statutes does include a law regarding internet gambling, however, it is not directed toward bettors. 720 ILCS 5/28-1 states that those who reside in the state cannot establish internet sites with the intent of collecting wagers.

In Illinois, gambling contracts are void ab initio under common law and the Illinois Criminal Code. However, certain contracts that relate to gambling are permitted under the strict oversight of various regulatory agencies, pursuant to State statutes such as the Illinois Video Gaming Act, the Illinois Gambling Act and the Illinois Horse Racing Act.

Luckily, this is not a correct understanding of the law as it applies to Illinois residents. The following page will break down all the most popular aspects of gambling through the eyes of the laws that govern them. We will not only take an intimate look at the policies governing a gambling hobby, but some of the best legal online gambling sites for Illinois residents to get started with.

Because there are sanctioned casinos in the state of Illinois, there are not heavy penalties or legal prosecution associated with participation in slot machines or other traditional forms of casino games in Illinois. This means that while players cannot get in trouble for playing casino games online, federal laws like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) ban use of the internet to establish, run or maintain a casino site. This means that honest residents are forced to use offshore websites to fulfill their gambling needs.

As it turns out, the state laws of Illinois echo the federal sentiment almost perfectly. Although Illinois legislation specifically mentions the internet in regards to gambling, it is only seen as a criminal act to operate a gambling website, not use one. This means that just so long as residents of the state stick to the legal online casinos located offshore indexed on this site, they will be in compliance of their state laws and risk no legal prosecution.

When it comes to casinos in Illinois, while it’s true that there are a couple sanctioned, land-based options scattered throughout the state, the overwhelming majority of Illinois players who play casino games for money use the internet. This is due in part to convenience, but also the high quality of product available through legal online casinos that accept Illinois players

Go To: Legal Online Casinos For Illinois Residents

Sports betting is the most regulated form of gambling in the United States, but bettors are still free to take part so long as they find a reliable Illinois sports betting site. The Federal Wire Act of 1961 made it impossible for bookmakers to move information regarding sports betting across state lines using a wire service. (In the early 2000’s, the Supreme Court would rule that this includes the internet.) The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) passed in 1992 took that act a step further and made it impossible to facilitate sports betting in the United States at all. There were four states exempt from this act, but unfortunately, Illinois was not one. Thankfully, all of these policies only target the bookmakers, and specifically exempt players. This means that it is legal for Illinois residents to participate in sports betting just so long as they do not take part in its facilitation.

The state laws governing Illinois are very similar. Bettors in the state never face criminal charges whereas the facilitation of betting in the state of Illinois is a very serious crime. Again, just so long as a resident sticks only to betting online through offshore, legal gambling in Illinois will be open to residents not operating their own, illicit sportsbook online or land based, they will avoid the ire of the law.

It’s a good thing that many online sportsbooks are open to Illinois residents, because thanks to the PASPA, it’s impossible for the state to sanction any sports betting facilities. Unless this federal policy is overturned, it’s unrealistic to expect and legal sports betting facilities to open up shop in Illinois, even in the distant future.

Go To: Legal Sports Betting Sites For Illinois Bettors

Just like with casino games, the UIGEA heavily influences the facilitation of online poker. This policy makes it all but impossible for a poker website to set up shop in the United States and accept players from Illinois. Luckily, also as with casino games, it does not violate the UIGEA to participate in online poker just so long as the player does not operate an online poker room.

While federal policies leave the door open for the ever-popular game of online poker, what do state laws say on the subject? Just as with other forms of gambling, poker laws as laid out by the state of Illinois fall closely in line with what the federal laws enforce. Playing online poker is not tried, prosecuted, or even cited in the state. In fact, in the entire history of arrests in the state of Illinois, never once has a player been placed under arrest for merely participating in online poker. More important than the actual letter of the law is the implied function. The target of anti-gambling legislation is, was, and has always been large, organized crime syndicates, not individuals. Therefore, players are generally free to participate in online poker to their heart’s content.

In addition to the legal online poker rooms that accept Illinois residents listed on this site, Illinois has a couple brick and mortar, sanctioned poker rooms available for their residents to play in. Although they offer a full array of poker games and are usually open generous hours, their remote and inconvenient locations lead to online poker being the most popular means of playing the game within state lines.

Go To: Legal Poker Sites For Illinois Players

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Illinois Casinos

With all the talk of legality and criminal action, it can be easy to forget one thing – gambling is supposed to be fun. The legal gambling sites for Illinois residents on this page can help bring that emphasis back where it belongs since their members do not need to spend any time worrying about their legality and safety. Since these are legal, offshore businesses that have been in operation for well over a decade, there is never a need to worry about their financial security. These sites invest in the best software that money can buy, and they put the biggest emphasis in their business model in protecting your money. They worry so that you don’t have to; you just have to worry about making it grow!

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Illinois Right Now

After over 20 years of service to Illinois residents, the artist formerly known as BoDog moved their operation to Canada, but kept up the same high level of service and product quality that their users long grew accustomed to. Over the years, the Bovada name has become synonymous with internet gambling. They pride themselves on providing the very best online casino, online poker room, and online sportsbook for Illinois residents. You’ve spent all this time learning how you can legally gamble online, make sure to take advantage of it with one of the strongest websites available on the web!

The very best part about a membership with Bovada is making use of their excellent financial system. Never before has moving money in and out of your gambling account been so effortless, or so carefree. This legal gambling site for Illinois players even goes so far as to cover all fees associated with one payout a month. That’s twelve times a year you can request a check of your winnings absolutely free. With a new account at Bovada, you keep more of your money where it belongs – in your account, where it can get more opportunities to grow.

Online gambling is very popular in Illinois. Gambling laws in the State of Illinois specifically address the issue of online gambling. Under Illinois gambling laws, it is illegal to operate, maintain or establish a website that allows a person to use the internet to play a game of skill or chance for money or anything of value or to make a wager on the outcome of any contest, game, political nomination, election or appointment. While the law does deal with the issue of online gambling from an owner/operator standpoint, it is silent on the issue of taking part in online gambling as a player. Illinois online gambling is legally permitted from offshore gambling sites that are operating legally within the industry and possess official credentials to establish their legitimacy.

Just because the law is silent on taking part in online gambling, it does not mean that online gambling is legal in the State of Illinois. While IL state-based online gambling may be questionable, there are no federal laws or state laws specifically prohibiting residents from participating in online gambling that is based, licensed, and regulated outside of the United States.

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Illinois

Where Do Illinois Gambling Laws Stand On Gambling In General?

Under Illinois gambling laws, playing a game of skill or chance for money or anything of value is gambling. Gambling is a class A misdemeanor offense in the State of Illinois, but not all gambling is illegal in Illinois. State-approved forms of gambling are legal. Illinois gambling laws do not distinguish between a game of skill and a game of chance. It has been upheld by Illinois courts that Texas Hold ’em poker is gambling.

Other Illinois Gambling Pages

Are There Land Based Casinos In Illinois?

There are many licensed casinos across the state where people over the age of 21 can legally gamble. State law allows riverboat gambling on any navigable stream in Illinois except Lake Michigan. It must be noted that the age of majority in Illinois is 18 but to legally gamble in a casino, the person must be at least 21 years old. The state also has a state lottery as well as legal pari-mutuel wagering system. Illinois also has a wide slate of charitable gambling formats. However charitable gambling events can only offer blackjack, roulette, poker, craps, pull tabs, bear, bang, the dealer, gin rummy, big six, chuck a luck, five card stud poker, keno, merchandise wheel, and hold-em poker. Anyone aged 18 or over can take part in such approved forms of gambling in Illinois (except casinos). The law does not exempt poker games played at home if the winner takes money or anything of value. With the state’s favorable view of casino gambling, we anticipate that state-based Illinois online casinos are likely to emerge in the near future.

In 2009, the Illinois legislature passed the Video Gambling Act. This Act allowed truck stops, fraternal organizations and bars to set up gambling machines offering payouts. The maximum number of such machines that could be set up at a location was limited to 5. Despite the Act being passed and signed into law, it took some time for such gambling machines to be set up across the State because of a lawsuit challenging certain provisions of the Act and problems with the bidding process. Today there are more than 2000 such gambling machines across the state.

Where Does Illinois Stand On Regulating State-Based Online Gambling?

Illinois has been a proponent of regulating online gambling at the state level. In fact, the state was the first to introduce online lottery options. It remains one of only a handful of states that have launched online lottery initiatives. The Illinois Racing Board permits betting on horse races over the internet through approved sites.

In the past, the State of Illinois has on more than one occasion attempted to legalize online gambling. The first attempt came in 2012 when the members of the Illinois House and Senate attempted to pass a law that would regulate various forms of online gambling. The bills did not make it through the committee.

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In 2013, another attempt was made to regularize online gambling but this attempt too failed as it perished during negotiations on the issue of having more casinos in the state. The section on online gambling had to be removed from the bill as Governor Pat Quinn had previously spoken out against its inclusion.

There were reports that Illinois Senate President John J. Cullerton was planning to introduce a standalone bill aimed at bringing online casinos and Illinois online poker games to the state. The bill sought to permit a wide array of gambling options but would limit online betting to events where such bets are explicitly legal. The bill was not successfully passed.

In 2019, the state’s legislature did pass a bill authorizing state-licensed sportsbook gambling that once fully implemented, will include online and mobile sports betting options. This certainly will pave the way for the state to also embrace domestic online casino and poker gambling if they so choose.

Are There Any Federal Laws That Make Online Gambling Illegal For Illinois Players?

Is Online Gambling Illegal In Illinois State

No. There are no US federal laws that prohibit online gambling for IL residents or any other type of gambling for that matter. Each individual state is legally authorized to prohibit or allow state-regulated online gambling at their pleasure. The DOJ 2011 Legal Opinion determined that domestic online casino and poker gambling was no longer federally prohibited. The 2018 repeal of PASPA added domestic sports gambling to that the list of online gambling platforms no longer prohibited.