Guide to Online Casinos in Illinois: The Best Illinois Casino Sites for 2024
By Jessica Whitehouse,Editor at online-gambling.com
Jessica Whitehouse
Editor at online-gambling.com
| Online Casinos | Legal Since: |
|---|---|
| Online Slots | Illegal |
| Online Roulette | Illegal |
| Online Blackjack | Illegal |
| Live Casino | Illegal |
Illinois legalized their first casinos in 1991 and have proved very popular. Casinos are only allowed on the water and generally are on riverboats. Legally each casino must close for at least two hours in a 24 hour time period. All casino games were legal from the beginning although not all casinos host every game type. There are nine casinos currently operating in Illinois. Unfortunately, online casinos are not legal in Illinois. There have been attempts to legalize but there is a concern it might affect other land based gambling sites.
- We use trusted sources such as: The Herald News and the Morris Herald News to stay on top of all industry related news and developments.
- We aren’t just experts in sports betting, we have dedicated teams across the gambling industry, including for casino games such as slots and have created an online roulette guide.
- We keep on top of any changes to the law by closely following the movements of the Illinois Gaming Board .
Available Casino Games in Illinois
The casinos in Illinois offer a wide variety of games including: slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and poker .
It is possible to place bets on horseracing and purchase lottery tickets online, but there are no online casino games available.
- Roulette – Players win by guessing where the ball lands when the wheel stops spinning.
- Blackjack – Players try to get a card hand as close to 21 as possible.
- Craps – Very popular game based on rolling certain combinations of two dice.
- Slots – Both video slots and mechanical slots are available.
- Poker – Hugely popular card game with many variations of playing type.
Biggest Illinois Land-Based Casinos
One of the most popular casinos in Illinois is the Hollywood Casino Joliet. The hotel and casino has over 1100 game machines and 20 table games including five poker tables. The Par-A-Dice Casino, opened in 1992 boasts four decks of entertainment with gambling, bar and restaurants.
- Hollywood Casino Joliet: 777 Hollywood Blvd., Joliet, Illinois
- Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino – 21 Blackjack Blvd., East Peoria, Illinois
- Rivers Casino Des Plaines – 3000 S. River Road, Des Plaines, Illinois
- Harrah’s Casino Joliet – 100 East Front Street, Illinois
- Casino Queen – 200 South Front Street, East St. Louis, Illinois
History of Casino Gambling in Illinois
Riverboat Casinos made their first appearance in the 1840’s. After the Civil War, the majority of unregulated gambling was stopped. Illinois was involved in gambling in horseracing from the 1920’s and was one of the first mid-western states to introduce the lottery. It took until the 1990’s for the casino to make a legal comeback. There were some nuances in the law in that all casinos had to be on the water, must close for a few hours every day and also that the boat must sail every two hours, all of which make gambling in Illinois a unique experience.
| Year | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 1818 | Illinois joins the union | |
| 1927 | Horseracing gambling is permitted with the state. | |
| 1974 | Illinois becomes the first mid-west state to begin a state lottery. | |
| 1991 | Casinos are legalized in Illinois but only allowed on water. They must close for two hours every 24 hour period. They also have to go into the water every two hours. | |
| 1999 | The law stating the casino must set sail every two hours is repealed. Casinos can expand into floating casinos rather than being functional boats. | |
| 2008 | Illinois is the first state to ban smoking in casinos, this created a 20% drop in revenue. The casinos still see a healthy spend from visitors. | |
| 2019 | Sports betting is approved by lawmakers and is now available at casinos. |
Casino Gambling Age in Illinois
The minimum age in Illinois is 21 years old, as there is no online casino recognized by the state there is no minimum age. It is possible for anyone over 18 to take part in the state lottery. Minors may be allowed into the casino buildings but are not allowed on the gambling floor.
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Online Casino AgeLegal age for Casino gambling in Illinois is 21 years old.
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Alcohol AgeThe legal drinking age in Illinois is 21 years old.
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Weed AgeRecreational use of Cannabis is not permitted in Illinois, there is no legal age.
Responsible Gambling and Addiction Prevention
The Illinois Gaming Board offers several different options of help and support for people with gambling problems. In 2002 a statewide initiative was launched to help people self-exclude themselves from all Illinois casinos. A problem gambling registry is also available which provides information on problem gambling and help or advice. The Illinois Gaming Board website provides phone numbers, links to the forms and other useful information.
Can I Play Without Deposit?
Online casino gaming is not allowed by the current legislation of Illinois and as a consequence, the gamblers residing there lack the opportunity to take advantage of any no deposit offers. Some casino operators based outside the state, do cater to Illinois players and let them claim no deposit bonuses. That means a certain sum of bonus money is provided either on signup or as a part of a temporary promotion. Such deals are usually subject to play-through requirements which define the number of times the bonus money has to be wagered before becoming available for withdrawal. These offers vary on a site by site basis but are widely available.
Upcoming Casino Regulation and Expected Changes
Illinois has a very strong casino industry and a strong gambling industry in general. The biggest change that is likely to be introduced is the legalization of online poker. There have been many attempts to legalize casino games online but it is seen as a potential threat to other gambling. The recent law change to allow sports betting online has given poker players new hope that the change will happen sooner rather than later. IF you are looking for a change, you can visit one of the many casinos in Virginia, which are all excellently equipped.
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