Best Illinois Online Casinos 2025

The Illinois Gaming Board doesn't allow online casinos to operate. That said, Illinois is a reasonably gambling-friendly state. You can participate in the lottery (video terminals and online), DFS, horse racing, and in-person poker. 

Illinois also has several popular casino resorts located around the state. Moreover, players can partake in legal online gambling via social and sweepstakes casinos.

Furthermore, Illinois legalized sports betting in 2019. Since then, several retail and online sportsbook operators have launched within the state. 

So why are online casinos yet to be legalized? You'd think that Illinois would've made more progress given the general overall state population.

Despite recent legalization attempts of online casinos for real money, headway on the real-money gaming front is yet to be made. Also, while Michigan is close by, there are no neighboring states with legal online casinos available. 

Simply put, it'll take some before online casino sites are legal in Illinois. Progress depends on the Illinois legislature, and there's no predicting when things could change. 

In its current trajectory, there’s a chance that Illinois could soon legalize online gambling. That said, we’d like to provide you with some context. Here’s a timeline of recent events and developments within the state:

Though online casinos aren't legal, Illinois is home to several retail casinos. However, let's say that you’re specifically searching for a more convenient online gambling experience. Joining a legal social casinos is an excellent alternative.

These cashless casinos allow you to enjoy playing your favorite games. You can explore a selection that includes slots, table games, and even authentic live dealer experiences. 

As such, you are unlikely to feel that you’re missing out on real money games. Also, with minimal risk, you can enjoy greater peace of mind while playing. 

But what exactly are social casinos, and how do they differ from regular real-money online gambling sites? Instead of wagering your hard-earned money, you can purchase and play with virtual currency. These are usually referred to as “Gold Coins”. You can claim these virtual coins via promotions or by purchasing coin packages. 

Illinois has multiple social casino options for you to test your luck on. Check out our list of social casinos to find the best fit for you!

Each site also features an easy registration process. You can quickly sign up and begin having fun, winning Gold Coins in the process.

Most social casino sites offer an attractive welcome bonus. They allow you play your favorite games without having to purchase any Gold Coins. Eventually, you’ll have to reload your account with more virtual currency. When this happens, you can make simple purchases with a banking method of your choice.

Illinois is home to plenty of thrilling free sweeps cash casinos, too. But what’s the difference between social and sweepstakes casinos? At sweeps sites, you can potentially earn real rewards.

Alongside Gold Coins, these casinos feature “Sweeps Coins”, which you can only claim through promotions. However, if you wager these coins on games and make a profit, you have the chance of grabbing real-money prizes. 

Ultimately, social and sweepstakes casinos are an avenue for legal online gambling in Illinois. You can still spin the reels of slots or try your hand at virtual table games. It's all within the confines of the law.

Some sites even offer free sc coins to help you get started.

Illinois prohibits real money online casinos from operating in the state. This means that no casino apps are available for you to install at the moment. Luckily, there are still social and sweepstakes casino apps on the market.

It's worth visiting the Google Play or Apple App Stores and searching for these operators. In most instances, your favorite social casino will offer a dedicated mobile app. 

You can then download social and sweepstakes apps to your smartphone or tablet. Compared to HTML5-optimized websites, native apps feature enhanced connectivity and superior usability. This way, you always can stay in the loop of the hottest casino bonuses and game releases.

Online sports betting has been legal for several years in Illinois. Plus, Illinois is home to several renowned retail casinos such as Harrah’s and Golden Nugget. Therefore, major brand partnerships have a head start in developing an online presence in IL.

The existing relationships and deals will make it easier for those brands to introduce legal casino sites. They'll offer the best online casino bonuses along with plenty of sign-up bonuses offered by the new Illinois sites.

Obviously, other operators can apply for licenses. However, there's usually a limit on how many licenses are up for grabs. Until then, as an Illinois resident or visitor, you can play social casinos and sweepstakes casinos for free.

Illinois has been pretty open to the legalization of gambling throughout its history. The first examples were horse racing and then riverboat casinos in the early 1990s. Then, in 2012, Illinois even launched an online lottery. 

The state also has the most Video Gaming Terminals in the country. All of these factors point positively in the direction of the eventual legalization of online casino gambling. 

But why is it still illegal? Governing bodies, political action committees, etc. are responsible for creating new laws. It takes a combined effort from lawmakers to legalize online gambling. Moreover, public opinion also has to change. 

Early 2023 saw State Senator Christina Castro sponsor a bill to legalize online casino. State Representative Jonathan Carroll also introduced two measures regarding real money online casinos. 

All of them ultimately targeted the creation of an Internet Gaming Act. Unfortunately, the bills never advanced. The most likely reason is fear of “cannibalizing” Illinois’ robust land casino industry. However, the state is also losing revenue to nearby Michigan.

Yes. In June 2019, Illinois legalized sports betting with bill SB 690. It authorized retail and online sports betting across the state. Retail facilities were cleared to offer sports betting, including IL’s horse racetracks and bigger sports venues.

In fact, Illinois betting is so popular that it’s become the country’s second-biggest sports betting market. It’s become so big that DraftKings opened a sportsbook in Wrigley Field. This means that you can bet at one of the most iconic stadiums in the entire country.

Online casinos aren’t yet legal in the Prairie State. That said, there's an excellent selection of retail casinos you can visit all over Illinois. Selecting a favorite all depends on personal preference. 

Here are the retail casinos you can visit in Illinois:

• American Place in Waukegan (coming in 2025)
• Argosy Casino Alton in Alton
• Bally’s Chicago (final completion in 2026)
• Bally’s Quad Cities in Rock Island
• DraftKings at Casino Queen in East St. Louis
• Golden Nugget Danville in Danville
• Grand Victoria Casino Elgin in Elgin
• Hard Rock Casino in Rockford 
• Harrah’s Joliet in Joliet
• Harrah’s Metropolis in Metropolis
• Hollywood Casino Aurora in Aurora
• Hollywood Casino Joliet in Joliet
• Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria
• Rivers Casino in Des Plaines
• Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort in Carterville
• Wind Creek Casino in East Hazel Crest 

You might have better luck at some of these compared to others. We ranked the luckiest casinos in Illinois.

Illinois is home to numerous prominent and popular retail casinos. However, it can be difficult to narrow down your options. That's why we’ve highlighted what some of the state’s top brick-and-mortar resorts offer. You can decide for yourself which ones are the best:

You can try your hand at Harrah’s Casino Joliet which offers casino games 24/7. There are over 1,000 slot machines, 30 table games, and 39,000 square feet of casino to explore. The retail gambling location even offers “Chicagoland” variants of popular table games. 

Harrah's Casino also has accommodations, of course. You can have a delicious meal at The Reserve restaurant, Cross Street Grill, or The Slice Pizzeria and Pasta. You can also enjoy some nightlife at the Sheer Bar or Laurel Lounge before finishing the night up in one of Harrah’s 200 hotel rooms.

Rivers Casino Des Plaines prides itself on delivering jackpots and big payouts on table games in Chicago. They offer over 1,500 slots, numerous table games, a sportsbook, and the “Rush Rewards” program.

Furthermore you can explore three restaurants, three bars, and a coffee shop. The venue also has a theater for concerts and live performances. This casino will probably suit you if you love lots of action and entertainment.

The Hollywood Casino in Joliet also accommodates you. This location has over 1,100 video slots, video poker, a huge selection of table games, and much more. Also, with three restaurants alongside a luxurious VIP Lounge, you won’t be short of dining options, either. 

There's 5,000 square feet of entertainment. Moreover, once you're tuckered out, you can stay in the casino hotel or store your RV to rest in the Midwest’s only RV park.

We're eagerly awaiting Bally’s Chicago, which is planned for a grand opening in 2026. In the meantime, we can look forward to its temporary casino going up first. 

This endeavor is a $1.7 billion development. It's projected to bring over 3,000 permanent jobs to Illinois, greatly boosting the state's economy. For now, the temporary facility is open within the old Medinah Temple in River North.

Bally's Chicago hosts over 750 slot machines and 50 table games within a 134,000-square-foot facility. This will keep you entertained as Bally’s permanent development continues. The temporary fixture is designed to warm you up for Bally’s grand opening. 

Living in Illinois doesn’t restrict you from accessing your favorite casino games, you just can't play them for real money. That said, we’d like to cover the online gaming options in greater detail. This way, you can jump right into the action.

Poker is legal in Illinois as long as you play it in person at any of the licensed casino poker rooms. You can even participate in poker tournaments. However, online poker is not legal in Illinois just yet – you’ll have to go next door to Michigan for that.

Card rooms, which are gambling locations dedicated to playing card games like poker, are illegal in Illinois. However, you are welcome to play at poker rooms within land-based casinos across the state. Fortunately, these dedicated poker rooms are very accommodating.

For example, River Casino Des Plaines has a poker room that’s over 5,600 square feet in size. Additionally, there's the Grand Victoria Casino, operated by Caesars. It has a dedicated World Series of Poker Room with over 20 tables on offer.

Every online casino in Illinois offers you access to various bonuses. These are promotions meant to incentivize you to gamble online. Essentially, they provide an extra boost to your bankroll. There’s a caveat, however, if you live in Illinois. Commercial online casinos can’t legally operate in the state. This means that you can only redeem bonuses offered by sweepstakes casinos.

The good news is that those bonuses provide you with value. They’re available in the form of Sweeps Coins, which you can use to redeem real prizes. Sweeps Coins are for grabs when you sign up or refer new players. What’s more, casino operators will reward you with daily bonuses and random prize drops.

Practicing responsible gambling is essential because you have to protect yourself. Let's say a player finds that their gambling habits are becoming a cause for concern. They can take advantage of resources and tools found in the “Responsible Gambling” sections of Illinois online casinos.

Alternatively, the state offers the following support:

• National Problem Gambling Helpline – Call: 1-800-GAMBLER
• IDHS: Gambling Help – Call: 833-937-4274

It’s difficult to get online casino legalization to the finish line, unfortunately. The good news is that many states are actively trying by submitting various bills and propositions. However, most attempts aren’t even making it to the House or the Senate.

These are the top states to look for next:

• Indiana, Maryland and New York are three of the highly active states with the most chatter about swift online casino legalization.
• Florida is a “big fish” state. Due to its population size and tourism draw, a lot of revenue is left on the table. However, the FL gambling industry is tribal-controlled, and online casinos in Florida are perceived as “threatening” to retail casinos.
• California is an interesting case. It has a population of 40 million and is the state with the highest number of casinos. Sports betting has been the primary hot topic as of late. More than half a billion was spent on legislative initiatives for it in 2022 and it still failed. This means that legal online casinos in California could be a way off.
• There has been plenty of buzz around Texas online casinos, but nothing has been solidified yet. It’s a very conservative state, so there will likely be some major hurdles ahead.