Illinois Online Casinos and Gambling Laws
Fortunately, Illinois online gambling laws aren’t as strict as in other states, like Georgia and Hawaii, where everything from sports betting to horse racing is illegal. Today, there are many forms of online gambling you can partake in, including sports betting, Draft Fantasy Sports, and sweepstakes casinos.
For those who don’t want to bet on sports alone, you can find various Illinois online gambling sites known as sweepstakes casinos, which operate legally. Retail and online sports betting, as well as online lottery games, are also available and can earn you thousands if not millions in winnings.
However, all other forms of real money betting are illegal per state law. Illinois law Section 230 ILCS 10/18 states that anyone who wagers real money on online gambling at any casino that doesn’t have a license is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. This means you shouldn’t put your hard-earned cash in Illinois casinos that aren’t licensed.
How Does Illinois Regulate Gambling?
While there are no real money online casinos in Illinois, this doesn’t mean there isn’t a regulatory body. On the contrary, the Illinois Gaming Board is the state’s regulatory and law enforcement agency that regulates sports wagering (i.e., sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports), casino gambling, and video gaming in Illinois. The five Board Members of the IGB are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
It’s important to note that the IGB only regulates casino games and sports betting that are legal and licensed in the state. This includes the 15 land-based Illinois gambling sites and riverboat casinos in the state. Unfortunately, if you choose to place your wagers and bet with an offshore online casino, there’s little the regulatory board can do to get you your money back if you lose it due to fraud.
In addition, while the state is still working to legalize online casinos, they’re a long way from putting this in writing and law. That means that even legal forms of online gambling in Illinois, like sweepstakes casinos, might not be thoroughly regulated by the IGB. Fortunately, there are tons of sweepstakes casinos that have good reviews and great bonuses, and allow you to play online casino games without fear of losing hard-earned cash.