Age Limit For Gambling In Illinois

There are a lot of different rules when it comes to the legal gambling age for all 50 states. Each of the states in America have different rules when it comes to how old you have to be in order to gamble in it. There are a lot of different types of gambling, and there are a lot of different rules about it. One basic thing to know is that the legal gambling age is not over 21 in any of the states in America. If you're over 21, you probably don't need this page. You're all good to go as long as you're using a legal gambling website. This page is here for people who are under 21 and want to know what they can and cannot do in their states, and for more general information about gambling ages by state.

1. Age Limit For Gambling In Illinois Unemployment
2. Age Limit For Gambling In Louisiana
3. Age Limit For Gambling In Illinois County
4. Illinois Gambling Laws
5. Online Gambling In Illinois
6. Illinois Gambling News

Below you will find the minimum legal age to gamble in various locations around the (IL) Illinois Gambling, 18, 18, 21, 18 / 18. The age limit of 18 for horse races was established by regulations of the Racing Control Board, not by the legislature in a statute.Lotteries Illinois Lottery Control Board and Department of the Lottery. Age restrictions in bingo premises Although the law does not prevent under 18s from entering bingo clubs, the industry generally chooses to apply a no under 18s policy. Under 18s are allowed in licensed commercial bingo clubs but they must not take part in playing bingo or any other forms of gambling whilst on the premises.

What Is The Legal Gambling Age In My State

Well, this answer will vary depending on the type of gambling in the state. For example, you can have a state with a gambling age of 18 for the state run lottery, but 21 for something like casinos or sports betting. The rules are specific to each state. The weirdest one is probably Alabama, where the legal gambling age is 19 across the board, for every type of gambling from sports betting to slot machines. Some states make everything legal at 21 while others at 18.

Below, you can find a table of various gambling ages so you can see all of the different ways it can change in different states. There are a bunch of different gambling ages that all change depending on the state and the type of gambling involved.

Why Do States Have A Legal Gambling Age?

States have legal gambling ages for various reasons. Without delving too deeply into America's generally puritanical past, gambling is thought of as negative for various reasons in the country. For one, it's frowned upon by the very religious in the country, and for another there are some scientific aspects to restricting it to adults as well. Children shouldn't gamble because they aren't responsible enough, as a rule, and so the law is a way of making sure that people don't have their freedoms infringed, but do have protections for people who are young and whose decision-making capabilities have not fully developed. Basically, there are a lot of different reasons for legal gambling ages in the United States, but all you really need to know is that they exist.

What Happens If I Gamble Underage?

Penalties can range from minor fines to major felonies. It is incredibly important that you don't gamble underage. We created this entire page so that you would know what to do when it comes to gambling, and so that you would know not to gamble underage. It is so important to follow the law when it comes to gambling. Please make sure if you take one thing away from this, it is that you should not gamble underage.

Legal Sports Betting Age In The USA

Sports betting is one of the most well known pastimes in the United States. From betting on the home team to five leg parlay wagers on multiple different sports to placing wagers on League of Legends, sports betting is incredibly far ranging, and comes in many different forms. In the United States, there are a whole lot of different types of sports betting. You can make straight bets, you can parlay matches together, you can bet on prop bets, or anything else you can find on an online sportsbook.

Just make sure that you're over the legal age in your state. The gambling age for sports betting is usually 18-21, so if you're over 21, you know you're good to go, and if you're under 18, you know you're not good to go. Make sure you check the local laws for your state to know the specific information for your state.

Legal Age To Gamble At A Casino

Casinos are some of the most common and useful types of gambling across the United States. You can play any kind of games at them, from poker and blackjack to roulette, baccarat and slot machines. They are available across the United States, in various forms. For example, many states have commercial casinos, or riverboat casinos, and many states in addition have Native American Casinos. There are also online casinos that are available for bettors inside the United States.

The legal age to gamble at a casino is going to vary depending on states. Generally it will be from 18-21 in the states that it is legal in. Sometimes it will vary depending on the casino in question, as Native American casinos sometimes have lower betting ages than commercial casinos due to the compacts signed with the tribes. For online casinos, we recommend following the laws of the state, and if it is not well defined, make sure you're over 21.

Legal Poker Age

Poker is one of the greatest games in the world. It is an incredible game of skill as well as chance, and one of the most iconic gambling games. Poker is available in poker rooms, casinos, and on online websites across the internet. There are a lot of options to play poker, but how old do you have to be?

Mostly, the answer will depend on the state that you are in. Poker can be played in different states in different times of your life. Generally, it will be between 18-21. As long as you are over the age of 21, you should be completely good to go, and play as much poker as you desire, either in a land based location or online.

Legal Horse Betting Age In The USA

Horse betting is one of the most well known and prestigious betting types in the entire United States. It's one of the longest running types of betting, and has a long history in the United States, as well as in places like England, and around the world.

The legal age to bet on horses will depend on where you are located. In some states, the horse betting age is as low as 18, while in others, it can be as high as 21. One thing to keep in mind is that 21 is the maximum - if you are over 21, you don't need this page, you should be completely good to go. If you are under 21, you're going to want to check the chart near the top of this page and find your state on it.

Legal Bingo Age In The USA

Bingo is a common game in the United States. Although it is often characterized as the game people play in retirement homes, Bingo has a lot of appeal beyond that, from internet bingo to public bingo halls. The legal age to play bingo has some significant variance in it. Some states allow you to play the game for charity when you are only 16, while some states restrict it further. If you are 21, you should be 100% able to play bingo at any authorized bingo retailer, but if not, you'll probably want to check the chart at the top of the page, find your state, and go off of that information. In addition, you can consider your own research to make sure that you are obeying the law.

Legal Gambling Age For DFS Sites

Daily fantasy sports is one of the newer additions to the gambling atmosphere, a gambling adjacent activity that has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Daily Fantasy is a quickly growing sector of the gambling market, and has swiftly made moves toward legalization in many of the states in the United States of America. The legal age in most of these states tends to be 21 years old, but just to be safe, we have a chart at the top of the page that should be helpful in terms of telling you when you are allowed to play DFS in your state. All you have to do is find your state on the chart.

Legal Age To Play State Lottery Games

Interestingly, state run lotteries tend to have lower entry ages than many of the other types of gambling in the state. A lot of them tend to be close to 18, but it is important that you make sure that you are obeying the laws of your state. For this reason, we have created a chart on which you can find your state, and then find the age at which you are allowed to play state lottery games within it.

Legal Age For Video Slots

Video slots are common across America - and one of the biggest drivers of the casino industry. A significant portion of casino profits come from slots, because they are easy to play and easy to access. In most states, you have to be 21 to enter a casino, but in some, there are exceptions. You can check out the chart at the top of the page to see what the laws are in your specific state.

Legal Age For Online Slots

Online slots follow the same rules as video slots. Generally, online slots are part of an online casino, which tend to be located offshore. For this reason, it's important to make sure you are over the legal casino gambling age in your state, even if the casino website you're using is offshore. Breaking the law is wrong, and nobody wants the cops at their door for gambling. Luckily, as long as you're above the legal age, you should be 100% good to go, so check out the chart at the top of the page for more information on the legal age in your state.

• Casino Gambling: Legal
• Tribal Gambling: Not Legal
• Poker: Legal
• Horse Racing Betting: Legal
• Dog Racing Betting: Not Legal
• Lottery: Legal
• Daily Fantasy Sports: Not Legal
• Charitable Gaming: Legal
• Social Gambling: Not Legal
• Online Gambling: Not Legal

Illinois is sometimes referred to as a microcosm of the United States, meaning their behavior reflects the average American. And based on the numerous betting options that are offered to their residents, we can assume that Americans love gambling.

While Illinois isn't the Wild West of gaming, they do offer plenty of riverboat casinos and lottery retailers.

The Land of Lincoln hasn't always been this liberal with regard to gaming. But they've gradually loosened regulations since the 1970s, when their state lottery and horseracing industry were created.

The big reason for the change of heart is that politicians grew tired of seeing tax dollars pour into Indiana casinos. And the end result is that the Prairie State now offers more than enough gambling options for its residents.

One thing that surprises us, though, is that Illinois is one of the few states to ban online gaming. We'll discuss this later, but let's first look at their gaming industry along with important laws you should know about this state.

With a population of 12.88 million, Illinois has plenty of people to support its thriving gambling industry. And this includes the Illinois State Lottery, which generates over $2.8 billion in ticket sales every month.

After prizes and retailer commissions are paid out, 24% of this amount, or approximately $670 million, goes into the Common School Fund. This is a tremendous amount when compared to most other states, and it plays a big role in maintaining and upgrading Illinois' school facilities.

The other big source of gaming revenue is the state's riverboat casinos, which earn over $1.4 billion per year. The state features 10 riverboat casinos, with the largest concentration in counties surrounding the Chicago area.

Illinois taxes their casinos more heavily than any other state. Based on annual casino revenue, the tax rate starts at 15% ($25m annual) and goes up to 50% ($200m or more).

Compare this to Nevada, which charges a flat 7.75% tax rate (includes 1% fees).

Despite the high taxes, this hasn't discouraged the industry since most of the riverboat casinos are still successful. This has in turn helped make Illinois one of the most successful states in terms of gambling revenue.

• Age Requirements: 18 for lottery; 21 for casinos
• Approximate Annual Gambling Revenue: $4.8 billion
• Approximate Annual Gambling Taxes: $1.6 billion
• Number of Commercial Casinos: 10
• Number of Racinos: 0
• Number of Tribal Casinos: 0
• Casino Regulatory Body: Illinois Gaming Board
• Lottery National Rankings: 7th

Transition to Legal Status of Gambling

While the bulk of Illinois' gambling revenue comes from the lottery, they also feature a sizeable casino industry.

Their largest casino is Hollywood Casino Joliet, which has nearly 1,200 slot machines and 20 table games. The second-biggestcasino is Par-A-Dice Hotel, which also features over 1,150 slot machines and 21 table games.

Their minimum gambling ages are similar to most other states, with 18 being the minimum lottery age and 21 being the minimum for riverboat casinos.

Legal Status of Gambling in Illinois

Illinois' criminal code begins with a lengthy section in Article 28 that defines illegal gambling. Here's an abridged version of what gambling types are listed as illegal under Sect. 28-1:

• Playing any 'game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value.'
• Betting on any game, contest, or political race.
• Possessing or owning a book or instrument used to keep track of bets and wagers.
• Selling pools upon the result of any game, contest of skill, or political race.
• Operating an unapproved lottery.
• Transmitting information as to wagers via radio, telephone, or telegraph, including info on betting odds or changes in betting odds.

We're not lawyers, but our translation from the Illinois criminal code is to avoid bookmaking and/or betting on anything outside of licensed casinos or lotteries. Unfortunately, this also means that private gambling is illegal, even if it's just a low-stakes game with your friends.

Of course, Illinois carves out a number of exceptions, including riverboat casinos, pari-mutuel betting, pull-tabs, lottery tickets, scratch-offs, and charity bingo & raffles.

One other part of the criminal code worth highlighting is what the state deems to be an illegal gambling device. Here's the definition via statue 28-2 (a):

'A ‘gambling device is any clock, tape machine, slot machine or other machines or device for the reception of money or other thing of value on chance or skill or upon the action of which money or other thing of value is staked, hazarded, bet, won or lost; or any mechanism, furniture, fixture, equipment or other device designed primarily for use in a gambling place.'

Exceptions for what's not a gambling device include:

• A 'coin-in-the-slot operated mechanical device played for amusement' that doesn't offer money or right to receive money as prizes.
• Vending machines 'by which full and adequate return is made for the money invested' and doesn't include an element of chance.
• A crane game that awards toys and novelty prizes worth less than $25.
• 'Redemption machine' featuring skill-based activities like bowling, rolling, shooting, or throwing a ball. Only novelty prizes or non-cashable tokens can be awarded, with prizes being worth less than $25.
• Video game terminals at licensed truck stops, fraternal establishments, or any other business in accordance with the Video Gaming Act 9230 ILCS 40/1 et seq.].

Overall, Illinois' restricted forms of gaming and illegal gambling device definition follow a commonsense approach.

In 1990, Illinois passed the Riverboat Gambling Act, becoming the second state to allow such gaming.

This act also created the Illinois Gaming Board, which determines who receives riverboat casino licenses. In 2012, they awarded the 10th and final license to River Casino Des Plaines.

The primary motivation for passing this legislation is that lawmakers wanted to boost river towns, which were struggling in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Another reason is that the state didn't want their residents pouring tax dollars into Iowa riverboats.

An original stipulation of this law is that the boats had to be cruising while patrons were gambling. But this rule was changed in 1999 so that riverboats could still offer gaming when docked.

Another stipulation is that no riverboat gambling is allowed in Cook County (Chicago), which is meant to protect the horseracing industry here. Nevertheless, several riverboat gaming venues have cropped up in surrounding counties.

Senate Bill 1793 sought to increase the number of riverboat casino licenses, but then-Governor Pat Quinn vetoed the matter.

Given that casino competition has increased in Indiana and surrounding states, many riverboat casinos have concentrated on becoming all-around entertainment destinations that feature celebrities, comedians, and musical acts.

The Charitable Games Act [230 ILCS 30/1 et seq.] allowed approved charities to conduct certain types of gaming for non-profit purposes.

Accepted forms of charity gaming include bingo, pull-tabs, raffles, 5-card stud poker, and Texas hold'em poker. Given that many states don't allow their charities to offer poker, Illinois is pretty liberal in this regard.

Another rule in charities' favor is that they can offer cash prizes as rewards.

Signed into effect in 1975, the Illinois Horse Racing Act allows licensed tracks to offer both harness and thoroughbred racing. Simulcast wagering and off-track betting were approved in 1985 and 1987, respectively.

Illinois has a long history of horseracing, dating back to the first track being built in 1830. But it took almost a century and a half before the activity was officially legalized and regulated.

Today, the Prairie State has four different tracks, including Arlington International Racecourse, Balmoral Park Race Track, Du Quion State Fair Harness Racing, and Fairmount Park Racetrack.

Like many other states, Illinois' pari-mutuel industry is in decline. Once worth well over a billion dollars in the early 1990s, horseracing now generates around $650 million per year.

Pari-mutuel betting is no longer the draw that it was once thanks to increased competition from riverboat casinos, video gaming terminals, the lottery, and out-of-state competition.

Several bills have been proposed to allow slot machines at racetracks (a.k.a. racinos). But all of these measures were defeated thanks to vetoes from former Gov. Pat Quinn.

In 1975, state legislators created the Illinois State Lottery in order to fund local schools. The result has been a success so far, with the lottery earning over $2.8 billion annually in recent years.

But many complain that the Common School Fund is too reliant on the lottery, with inner-city Chicago schools needing an influx of taxpayer money to help.

Another controversy involves the Northstar Lottery Group, a private company that's been tasked with running the Illinois State Lottery ever since 2012.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Northstar has been accused by players of offering fraudulent scratch-off tickets. Specifically, the private company is accused of discontinuing unpopular games early when they were reaching profitability for players.

A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of players, which would repay all affected people who bought tickets for the discontinued games.

Despite the controversies, the Illinois State Lottery continues to rank within the top 10 in terms of revenue. More than 60% of earnings come from scratch-offs, while the rest comes from Pick 3, Pick 4, Mega Millions, and Powerball tickets.

Illinois has a number of casino-based poker rooms dotting its landscape.

The largest of these poker rooms is at Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, where you'll find 12 tables and a regular tournament schedule. Another notable poker room is located at Harrah's Joliet, where you'll find 8 tables.

Other poker venues in the state include: Harrah's Metropolis, Hollywood Casino Aurora, Hollywood Casino Joliet, Jumer's Casino, and Par-A-Dice.

As covered earlier, Article 28 Sect. 28-1 states that it's illegal to play any game of chance or skill for money and other valuables in Illinois.

This is a cut-and-dried definition of illegal gambling that leaves little to interpret. Furthermore, no carve-outs are made for private or social gambling.

If you play in a low-stakes game with a few friends, chances are unlikely that your private gambling function will be raided. But the odds increase as the number of participants grows.

Such was the case in 2015, when police raided a Naperville poker game and arrested 13 people.

As reported by ABC 7 Chicago, officers confiscated $25,000 in cash, evidence of gambling, and three cars: a 2015 Lamborghini Huracan, 2014 E63 AMG Mercedes, and 2011 Porsche Panamera.

12 of the arrested parties were charged with misdemeanor gambling, and four were charged with possession of a controlled substance.

As you can see, there's more to this bust due to the large game size and drugs involved. But you should still be careful if you're going to hold private gambling functions in the Land of Lincoln.

The town of Shabbona, Illinois has been fighting for years to build a tribal casino. And these efforts peaked in 2016, when the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe began lobbying for the right to offer gambling.

Age Limit For Gambling In Illinois Unemployment

Located 70 miles west of Chicago, the small town originally wanted to build a 24-hour bingo hall. But the US Department of the Interior wasn't convinced that the 128 acres owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi counts as a legitimate reservation.

Given that no tribal bingo hall was built in Shabbona, Illinois still remains without tribal gaming.

Age Limit For Gambling In Louisiana

In 2009, the Video Gaming Act was passed, clearing the way for bars, truck stops, fraternal organizations, and veterans establishments to offer video gaming terminals.It wasn't until 2012 that the first machines were rolled out in Illinois.

Operators of these games must adhere to a number of conditions.

First off, each voting jurisdiction can decide whether or not they want video gaming terminals. To date, only around 40% of jurisdictions have voted to allow video gambling.

Other conditions include that video terminals can't be placed near riverboat casinos, churches, or schools.

Where Can I Gamble in Illinois?

Internet gaming is addressed under the criminal code's illegal gambling offenses in Article 29 Sect. 28-1:

' … knowingly establishes, maintains, or operates an Internet site that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet or to make a wager upon the result of any game, contest, political nomination, appointment, or election by means of the Internet.'

This language is aimed at offshore operators who offer gambling to Illinois residents. But this section also suggests that state lawmakers don't want their residents gambling online either.

Does this mean that you'll be prosecuted for internet gaming?

The odds are slim, and we've yet to see any online gamblers busted in the Prairie State. But what you'll notice is that many offshore casinos and poker sites that normally serve Americans will exclude Illinois residents.

An exception to Sect. 28-1 is made for internet lottery sales, which you can see below:

'The purchase of lottery tickets through the Internet for a lottery conducted by the State of Illinois under the program established in Section 7.12 of the Illinois Lottery Law [20 ILCS 1605/7.12].'

State politicians approved online lottery ticket sales in 2013. And while this is an obvious example of hypocrisy, it makes sense because Illinois doesn't generate any revenue from offshore operators.

Attorney General Declares Daily Fantasy Sports Illegal in 2015

In late 2015, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan came out and voiced her opinion that daily fantasy sports (DFS) 'clearly constitute gambling.'

Through a 15-page paper, Madigan went on to state that Illinois' criminal code 'prohibits the playing of ‘games of chance or skill for money.'' And while she admits that DFS does involve skill, the element of chance and entry fees make the activity illegal in her eyes.

As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Madigan asked the industry's biggest sites to add Illinois to their exempt list.

At this point, Illinois is merely operating on the opinion that DFS is illegal. But Rep. Scott Drury took this a step further in 2016 by introducing House Bill 6586, which would make it illegal to operate a DFS site in the state.

HB 6586 didn't have much support in congress, but it's another sign that Illinois won't be reversing their opinion on DFS any time soon.

Online Gambling Legislation Falters

Senate President John Cullerton has long been a proponent of online poker in the state. He believes that this would be a good way to supplement land-based casino revenue.

But Cullerton doesn't think that this issue can move forward until Illinois decides whether or not they want to add commercial casinos.

State Senators Donnie Trotter and Terry Link are also fans of internet gaming, introducing SB 1739 in 2013. Attached to a Chicago Casino Development Act, this bill sought to legalize online gambling in the state.

But most lawmakers weren't in favor of SB 1739, and it was removed from the casino development act. This is the last time that a serious effort was made towards legalizing internet gaming in Illinois.

Push for Land Based Casinos

Over the past few years, there's been a movement to legalize land-based commercial casinos.

At the time of this writing, congress is reviewing SB 7, which would add 6 land-based casinos, including one in Chicago.

While the legislation has moved through the state senate, it's questionable whether SB 7 will be passed. After all, Gov. Bruce Rauner isn't in favor of expanding gambling due to all of the state's riverboat casinos.

Proponents of SB 7 argue that it would contribute up to $1 billion in licensing fees to the government and add more jobs. Additionally, it'd generate an estimated $560 million in annual tax revenue.

Another effect would be keeping more Illinois gamblers in-state, rather than traveling to Indiana casinos.

At the moment, riverboat casinos still enjoy a monopoly in the Land of Lincoln. As a concession to riverboats, SB 7 proposes that casinos pay flat taxes of 16% on table games and 20% on slot machines.

While this is still high in comparison to other states, many riverboats would prefer this to the current tax rate, which goes as high as 50%.

More points in SB 7 include adding slot machines to the state's racetracks, and also installing slots at Chicago's airports.

Illinois Gambling FAQ

According to the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), 62 cents of every dollar spent on the lottery goes towards paying prizes. 12 more cents goes towards paying commissions, bonuses, and operating expenses.

This leaves 24 cents per dollar going towards the Common School Fund, which doesn't actually cover much of what Illinois' schools need to operate.

Age Limit For Gambling In Illinois County

The IASB report states that Illinois' 3,862 public schools require over $30 billion to operate each year. This means that the lottery's Common School Fund contribution only paid 6.7% of this cost.

Even still, $670 million can certainly help fund some of the schools' expenses.

No. Section 28-1 of Article 28 specifically mentions that 'an internet site' offering gaming is illegal. The language is aimed at operators, but this could possibly be used against online gamblers along with other points of Sect. 28-1.

Speaking of which, Illinois defines illegal betting as playing game of chance or skill for money and/or valuables. Even if prosecutors don't use the mention of an internet site, they can still pursue people for making a bet in any way.

Of course, this doesn't mean that law enforcement is actively looking for people gambling online. In fact, we can't find one instance of somebody who's been arrested for internet gaming.

But the truth is that you'll have a tough time finding offshore sites that will service residents of Illinois. Article 28 makes it explicitly clear that online gaming isn't tolerated in the state.

The only exception is for internet lottery sales, which were excluded by politicians in 2013.

No. While Illinois' criminal code doesn't specifically address social and private gambling, we can again refer to Article 28 to see that betting on anything outside of licensed options is illegal.

As unfair as it may seem, Illinois doesn't even want you playing low-stakes card games with your friends. But does this mean that nobody plays poker with their friends on the weekends?

Absolutely not because there are many people who gamble on card games in private. Furthermore, it's a waste of law enforcement's time to stake out penny ante poker games.

As we discussed earlier, the main thing that police are looking for is large, high stakes games that could be subject to other crimes like drug and illegal weapons possession.

This was the case in the 2013 Naperville game that was busted, where a 13-player game was raided because police also suspected drugs on the premises.

Illinois was actually a pioneer when they legalized riverboat gambling, becoming the second state behind Iowa to do so. Back then, few states were even thinking about casino gaming at this time, let alone legalizing them.

Once the Illinois Gaming Board began issuing licenses and riverboat casinos started being built, the state quickly experienced a gambling boom.

This growth has since stabilized, and state politicians don't see the viability in adding more casinos to fix the problem.

It also doesn't help that the past and current governors – Pat Quinn and Bruce Rauner – aren't staunch gambling enthusiasts.

Senate Bill 7 is circulating around congress at this time and would add 6 casinos in the state. But it's unclear whether the legislation has any chance of making it past Rauner's desk.

History of Illinois Gambling Laws

First racetrack opens in Chicago

Riverboat gambling begins

Illinois State Lottery begins running

Congress approves Horse Racing Act

Simulcast betting approved

Illinois legalizes off-track betting

Riverboat Gambling Act is passed

Amendment made to allow riverboats to offer gambling when docked

Video Gaming Act approved.

10th and final riverboat casino opens in Des Plaines.

HB 4148, an attempt to legalize online poker, falters in congress.

Internet lottery sales legalized.

Gov. Quinn vetoes bill to expand riverboat gambling.

Attorney General states that daily fantasy sports are illegal.

Conclusion

Illinois has fully embraced riverboat gambling since legalizing it in 1990. Now, their waterways are lined with 10 casinos, several of which rival big land-based casinos.

Illinois Gambling Laws

The Illinois State Lottery has also been quite successful, despite hiccups by the private company that runs the operation. With over $2.8 billion in annual revenue, Illinois has one of the biggest lotteries in the US.

The state's racetracks have been in decline for a while, and certain lawmakers are trying to fix this by adding slot machines. But so far, these efforts have proven fruitless.

The same can be said for land-based casinos, which, due to existing riverboat establishments, don't have much support.

Online gaming hasn't gained many supporters in Illinois either. And given that their criminal code essentially makes internet gaming illegal, you should proceed with caution here.

Online Gambling In Illinois

Another area to watch yourself is social gambling because Illinois has a broad definition of illegal gaming that doesn't exclude private functions. If you're going to play a home poker game, be sure to keep the stakes low and the game quiet.

Illinois Gambling News

Given that Illinois offers riverboat casinos, poker rooms, racetracks, and a lottery, you at least have plenty of legal options available.