Illinois Online Casinos – An Inside Look At The Prairie State’s Casino Gambling Industry
Illinois has lately become one of the most gambling-friendly states in America. But despite the landmark passage of the Illinois Gambling Act in 2019, domestic Illinois online casinos are still unavailable. Yes, there are plenty of IL riverboat casinos and new casinos in Illinois cropping up all the time, but if you want convenient access to real-money gambling online, you can only get that with legit offshore Internet casinos.
As luck would have it, all the best online IL casino sites featured here are every bit as good as the retail venues you know and love. Sure, they might not offer quite the same glitz and glamor, but if you want to play at a real-money online casino, Illinois venues will always leave you high and dry. The sites we recommend, however, never will. And best of all, most operators only require you to be 18+ to sign up and play.
★ Top Rated Online Casino For Illinois Players In 2024
Bovada Casino – Win Benjamins In The Land Of Lincoln!
Brick-and-mortar IL casino diehards might not consider Bovada LV to be one of the best casinos in Illinois, but we sure do. As one of the most trusted online gambling sites in the US, Bovada gives IL players access to every market they expect, including hundreds of legal slots, table games, and live-dealer tables along with Illinois sports betting, online poker, and even horse racing betting.
All IL residents are welcome at just 18+, and new members can take advantage of the Bovada sign-up bonus worth up to $3000 in casino free plays!
- Launched in 2011 (Costa Rica)
- 100% optimized for iPhone casino + Android casino gambling
- Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, Bitcoin/crypto supported
- Guaranteed same-day payouts with crypto
- 250+ electronic online casino games + live-dealer
- 1 account for Casino, Sports, Poker, Ponies
- IL gamblers welcome at 18+
Is Online Gambling Legal In Illinois In 2024?
Some people call IL the “Sucker State,” but we wouldn’t call you a sucker for thinking that only the state’s domestic casinos are actually legal. Most people naturally assume that’s the case. However, online Illinois casinos that operate outside of US borders are also perfectly safe and legal to use if you live in IL. This is because there are no state or federal laws that bar participation at such venues.
While local IL online gambling is not authorized, state laws apply only to domestic operators. Since all the sites we recommend are outside of IL/US jurisdiction – and since local laws don’t target individual players – you’re free to join and bet real money online.
Plus, the casino gambling age in Illinois is 21 with local venues, but it's only 18+ at most of the sites featured here. Talk about an "ill" IL casino bonus!
Note: Nevertheless, it’s imperative that you only play with the most trusted operators. If you join an unproven online IL casino and lose your bankroll, we definitely will call you a sucker!
Are There Legal IL Online Casinos That Are Safe To Play At?
Yes! That said, you shouldn’t just do a quick Internet search and join the first online Illinois casino that pops up. The World Wide Web is still a Wild Wild West, and there are a lot of shady gambling sites out there. As such, you should limit your online casino gambling to an IL-friendly venue that actually deserves your business.
All the sites we recommend comply fully with IL gambling laws and offer the best virtual Illinois gambling machines – and live-dealer games! – you can find anywhere. And, because each venue adheres to all gambling industry best practices as listed below, you can rest assured that these are legit services top to bottom.
Illinois Mobile Casinos
Gambling in the state is a largely social endeavor, as all major gaming markets (except IL sports betting and the Illinois Lottery) are restricted to licensed domestic casino venues. Yes, there are thousands of Illinois gas station slot machines, Illinois bar slot machines, and other locales where you can play state-approved VGTs (video gaming terminals), but none of these compares to online gambling.
For one thing, playing with an Illinois casino online is far more convenient if you’re more interested in the games than the “nightlife.” For another, you can play such games from anywhere because all the most reputable offshore IL online casinos have mobile-optimized web-based app portals for everything on offer.
Mobile IL casino games play just like the truck stop slots and video poker machines you’re used to – only with better graphics and instant access from anywhere. There’s nothing to download or update, either, and every game runs perfectly on your device regardless of screen size, make or model.
So whether you prefer iPhone casino gambling, iPad casino gambling, or Android casino gambling, the best casinos in IL are online and on the go!
Online Casino Games In Illinois
The online venues in our recommended Illinois casino list all feature a full menu of hundreds of the most popular Vegas-style RNG (random number generation) electronic casino games. And just as Illinois slot machines are the biggest retail casino draw, IL slots are also the biggest draw in the online space.
Of course, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, keno, craps, and even online bingo games are all present and accounted for. Best of all, the online slot machine payouts and online table game payouts are on par with their brick-and-mortar counterparts, so you’ll never miss out on a big win with any of these games:
- Online Slots (3-Reel, 5-Reel, 3D, Progressive Jackpot)
- Online Blackjack (Single-Deck, Multi-Deck)
- Online Roulette (American and European)
- Online Baccarat
- Online Super 6 (aka Online Mini-Bac)
- Online Video Poker
- Online Keno
- Online Craps
- Online Bingo
- Online Lotteries/Raffles
- Online Scratchers/Pull Tabs
- Online Live Casino Games
Illinois Online Live-Dealer Casino Games
No online IL casino is worth its bandwidth unless it also features live-dealer play. As mobile access has gotten more prevalent and Internet connections have gotten faster, live-dealer casinos have become one of the most popular markets in the online betting industry. While RNG casino games are plenty of fun, sometimes you want to sit in front of a real dealer or croupier and watch them do their thing.
With the sites featured here, you can! The tables are open 24/7, are rarely full (and offer unlimited bet-behinds if they are), and feature stakes for players of all means and skill levels. With live-streaming video and audio, you can watch every shuffle, deal, and spin, and you can even chat with your dealer and other players at your table.
Just remember to mind your manners, because the basic rules of Illinois casino etiquette apply when playing these games:
- Live Dealer Blackjack
- Live Dealer Roulette
- Live Dealer Baccarat
- Live Dealer Super 6
Note: Live-dealer casino games are paid games only (i.e. no free online casino game modes, practice modes, demo modes, etc.), and online live casino wagers do not generally count toward any active online casino bonus or promotion.
Brick-And-Mortar Casinos In Illinois
As much as we prefer online casinos in Illinois to the pace of the local scene, there are times when we really do prefer to play in person. When we get that itch for the bright lights and big city, it doesn’t matter where we are – we’re ready to pull out the trusty Illinois casino map and find the closest hotspot.
From casinos near Chicago to casinos in southern IL and anywhere else, we’re always game. And with the IL casino list growing with the addition of six new soon-to-be-open venues, we’re actually anticipating retail gambling a little more than usual.
We’ll always do most of our serious gaming online, but IL casinos are something everyone should experience – and definitely more than once!
Gambling Resources For Illinois Residents
For more information about the ever-evolving expanded gambling laws in Illinois, you can consult the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) entries from the main chapter linked below:
- ILCS Chapter 230 – “Gaming”
- 230 ILCS 5 – Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975
- 230 ILCS 10 – Illinois Gambling Act
- 230 ILCS 15 – Raffles and Poker Runs Act
- 230 ILCS 20 – Illinois Pull Tabs and Jar Games Act
- 230 ILCS 25 – Bingo License and Tax Act
- 230 ILCS 30 – Charitable Games Act
- 230 ILCS 35 – Native American Gaming Compact Act
- 230 ILCS 40 – Video Gaming Act
- 230 ILCS 45 – Sports Wagering Act
- 230 ILCS 50 – State Fair Gaming Act
The IL Gambling Act (aka SB 690, 2019) was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker on June 28, 2019. This gambling expansion law increased the number of casino licenses available in the state from 10 to 16.
As of 2022, five of the six new licenses have already been granted, two of which represent the first Indian casinos in Illinois. Currently, the Chicago license remains unissued but has bids from: Bally’s Corporation; HR Chicago, LLC; Rivers Chicago at McCormick, LLC; and Rivers 78 Gaming.
The Gambling Act also legalized in-state and online domestic sports betting, allowed for IL sports betting at actual sporting arenas, and authorized casino slots and poker machines at IL airports. However, domestic online casino gambling was not part of the package.
If you or someone you know is struggling with or suffering from gambling addiction, help is available through the Illinois chapter of the National Council on Problem Gambling.