Illinois casinos and gambling, in general, is something that has a bit of interesting history. In fact, whether casino games and their many variations are legal has been a point of contention since Illinois was even recognized as a state. Nowadays, all you need to know is that there are plenty of casinos in the state.

Casinos In Northern Illinois
Casino Near Me In Illinois

As far as Midwestern US states are concerned, Illinois is a gambling mecca of sorts. Though many of the sites exist in less populated areas, there are plenty of gambling options no matter what part of the state you are in.

Online Casinos That Accept Illinois Residents

Arlington Heights. #1 of 2 Casinos & Gambling in Arlington Heights.

Casinos in Pontiac on YP.com. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Casinos in Pontiac, IL. Illinois casinos and gambling information including poker tournaments, slots info, pari-mutuel (dogs & horses), texas hold'em, and more. Find contact information and view pictures of casinos in Illinois. Illinois Casinos Details. Illinois was the second state to legalize river-boat gambling. Riverboat casinos began operating in Illinois in late 1991, with the launching of the first boat: The Alton Belle. There are five casinos near the popular metropolitan city of Chicago, Illinois. Two of the casinos are closer to the center of the state,.

See our complete list of recommended Illinois online gambling sites for more online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites that accept Illinois players.

Rank	Online Casino	What We Like	Deposit Bonus	Visit Casino
#1	All US Players Welcome Large Welcome Bonus Visa, MC, & Bitcoin Accepted
#2	Instant Play & Download Over 250+ Online Slots 4-8 Hr. Payout Time
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#5	Excellent Reputation Frequent Bonus Offers 6-8 Hr. Withdrawals

Illinois Casino Reviews

Casino Queen
Harrah’s Joliet
Harrah’s Metropolis
Hollywood Casino Aurora
Grand Victoria Casino Elgin
Hollywood Casino Joliet
Argosy’s Alton Belle Casino
Rivers Casino
Par-A-Dice Casino
Jumer’s Casino & Hotel

Gambling in Illinois

Illinois has rather lax gambling regulations and allows all the popular forms of land-based gambling. Casino games like slots, blackjack, and roulette are available at the commercial gambling establishments.

Pari-mutuel betting and charity gambling are also an option. Illinois operates its own lottery and the tickets have been available for purchase online ever since the local Lottery Act has been amended in 2009.

Despite the fact that Illinois is one of the few states that allow online lottery ticket sales, the current regulations prevent local businesses from operating intrastate iGaming sites. As a result, the local internet gambling enthusiasts are forced to stick to US-facing operators that are based offshore.

Casinos in Illinois

Current Illinois state law allows for no more than ten casinos to hold gaming licenses and to operate inside its borders. There are ongoing legislative pushes to expand that number significantly and to allow parimutuel sites to add table games to their offerings. As of now, those expansion efforts are still in committee and have yet to face a full vote.

By law, the ten operating casinos must be on riverboats, although in 1999 it was decided the boats no longer needed to be in motion. They are now docked, and in some cases merely sitting on a few inches of water. Those ten casinos are:

Casino Queen (East St. Louis, IL)
Harrah’s Metropolis
Harrah’s Joliet
Hollywood Casino Aurora
Hollywood Casino Joliet
Grand Victoria Casino Elgin
Rivers Casino Des Plaines
Argosy Casino Alton
Jumer’s Casino & Hotel (Rock Island, IL)
Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino (East Peoria, IL)

The minimum age requirement is 21. By state law, casinos are not allowed to provide free alcohol and must be closed for at least two hours per day.

Online casinos are illegal in Illinois.

Riverboat Casinos

The name “riverboat casino” tells you more or less all you need to know about the casino in question. Riverboat casinos are really no different than their land-based counterpart, with the one exception being that they must be situated on the water in order to comply with state law. Something else worth noting about Illinois’ riverboat casinos is that they are not able to remain open 24 hours a day.

In the early days of legalization, riverboat casinos in Illinois were forced to literally float on the river in order to be considered legal. Shortly thereafter, however, it was determined that this does not have to be the case. That is why you will notice that despite technically being labeled a riverboat casino, most that exist in Illinois are moored to the ground and not making any riverboat ventures anytime soon.

While some casinos standalone as nothing more than a gambling floor, other casinos offer hotel rooms, bars, restaurants, and other amenities. The game offering at Illinois casino resorts is about on par with what you will find at traditional land-based gaming sites. In fact, a full range of games, including blackjack, baccarat, slots, and even live poker can be found at riverboat gambling destinations. Despite the existence of casino gambling is just a bit different than what you might find on the Las Vegas Strip, any game that can be played in the Nevada desert can also be played on bodies of water in Illinois.

Illinois Sportsbooks & Sports Betting

The push to legalize sports betting is one of the reasons online casinos are likely to remain illegal in Illinois for the time being. In the wake of the May ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court allowing states to set their own sports betting laws, most other gambling-related legislation has been pushed to the back burner.

Right now, sports betting remains illegal in Illinois, but its future may ultimately be decided by who becomes governor in November. Democratic candidate J.B. Pritzker calls it “an important thing to consider” and a possible revenue generator. Current governor Bruce Rauner acknowledged sports betting is popular, but also said it “takes money away from folks who can least afford to lose their money.”

Any changes to the law wouldn’t come before 2019.

Fantasy Sports Gambling

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) in Illinois are complicated. In 2015, Attorney General Lisa Madigan authored an opinion stating, “Playing daily fantasy sports in Illinois constitutes illegal gambling.”

She was only authoring an opinion, and it wasn’t legally binding since Illinois has no state law regarding the legality and regulation of DFS. FanDuel and DraftKings, which were already operating in the state, sued Illinois to get it to declare them legal. That lawsuit has since been withdrawn, as legislation seemed to be favoring legalization.

That legislation has since died, so there still remains no laws that specifically address DFS. FanDuel, DraftKings, Yahoo, and FantasyDraft all continue to operate in the state.

Animal Racing

Horse racing has a long and rich tradition in Illinois, with the first Chicago-area racetracks dating back to the 1930s. The number of venues has gotten smaller in recent years, but three longtime racetracks continue to operate full schedules.

Hawthorne Racecourse (Cicero, IL) runs from January to December, alternating between harness and thoroughbred racing. They also offer simulcast racing from around the country seven days a week.

Arlington Park (Arlington Heights, IL) offers thoroughbred racing from the beginning of May to the end of September. There is also simulcast racing the rest of the year.

Fairmount Park (Collinsville, IL) offers thoroughbred racing from April through September. They offer simulcast racing the rest of the year, seven days a week.

The Illinois Horse Racing Act of 2016 also allows for these three racecourses to operate a set number of off-track betting (OTB) locations. Hawthorne currently operates ten of a possible 16, Arlington Park has 11 of a possible 18, and Fairmount Park ru

Casinos Near Me In Illinois