Illinois Gambling Laws

The foundation of the modern commercial gaming industry is 230 ILCS 10, now known as the Illinois Gambling Act.

Originally enacted as the Riverboat Gambling Act in February 1990, the legislation authorized regulated gambling aboard licensed riverboats and established the Illinois Gaming Board. The IGB was given responsibility for licensing operators and overseeing the integrity of legal gaming.

The original framework authorized up to 10 licenses. Over time, lawmakers loosened the industry's connection to traditional cruising riverboats and expanded the types of facilities where regulated gaming could take place.

Today, 230 ILCS 10 remains the primary statutory framework for commercial gaming. It addresses operator licensing, permitted gambling games, wagering procedures, taxation, regulatory enforcement and age restrictions.

Under Section 11, wagers generally must be made by a patron who is physically present at the licensed riverboat, casino or organization gaming facility. The same section establishes 21 as the minimum age for patron gambling.

The Video Gaming Act created a separate form of regulated gambling outside traditional gaming properties.

Public Act 96-34 became law in July 2009 and authorized video gaming terminals, commonly called VGTs, at qualifying licensed establishments. The first regulated machines became available for public play in September 2012.

VGTs can be found at licensed establishments such as bars, restaurants, truck stops and qualifying veterans and fraternal organizations. These machines operate within the IGB regulatory system rather than as unlicensed slot machines.

The program has grown considerably since its launch. The IGB reports approximately 49,000 terminals at roughly 9,000 licensed locations, making the state's distributed video gaming network one of the largest regulated systems of its kind.

The largest modern overhaul of the state's gambling industry came in 2019 with Public Act 101-31, enacted on June 28, 2019.

The legislation authorized six additional casino licenses and allowed horse-racing tracks to obtain licenses for casino-style gaming. It also expanded the existing video gaming industry and established the framework for legal sports wagering.

New gaming developments authorized through the expansion included projects in Chicago, Waukegan, Rockford, Danville, Williamson County and the south suburban Cook County area.

The law also created the path for racinos. The first racetrack gaming property began operations in Collinsville on April 18, 2025.

Public Act 101-31 therefore did considerably more than simply add new locations. It reshaped the structure of regulated gambling by expanding commercial gaming, opening racetracks to casino-style products and bringing sports wagering into the legal market.

Legal sports betting was created through the Sports Wagering Act, which was included in the broader 2019 gaming expansion.

The law permits licensed operators to accept qualifying wagers both at retail locations and through websites and mobile devices. The regulated market launched in March 2020 and has since developed into one of the country's larger sports wagering industries.

Under 230 ILCS 45/25-25, sports wagering is lawful only when conducted according to the Act and applicable regulatory rules. Bettors must be at least 21.

This distinction is particularly important when discussing internet gambling. Mobile sportsbooks are specifically authorized by statute, while general real-money online casino gaming has not received comparable authorization.

Activities that fall outside one of the state's authorized gambling frameworks can be subject to Section 28-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012.

The statute broadly addresses unlawful gambling but also contains exceptions for activities specifically authorized elsewhere in state law. Those exceptions include regulated casino games, pari-mutuel betting, the state lottery, licensed video gaming, charitable activities and sports wagering conducted under the Sports Wagering Act.

The statute is also important to online gaming. Section 28-1(a)(12) prohibits knowingly establishing, maintaining or operating an internet site that allows a person to play games of chance or skill for money or other things of value, subject to statutory exceptions.

General gambling violations under Section 28-1 can constitute a Class A misdemeanor, while subsequent convictions involving certain prohibited activities can rise to a Class 4 felony.