Real money online casinos in Illinois are illegal, despite attempts by lawmakers to pass bills allowing them.
However, Illinois residents can enjoy online casino games through sweepstakes and social casinos, where they can win virtual “gold coins” instead.
List of Illinois online casinos
Here’s a list of the best online casinos in Illinois as of September 2025.
Each IL online casino featured here is fully legal and operates in compliance with the Illinois Gaming Board.
In the last column, you will find the top Illinois online casinos no deposit bonus:
Top 5 online casinos in Illinois reviewed
In the sections below, you'll find mini-reviews of the best online casinos Illinois gamblers can play.
Each review includes our analysis and highlights what each site is best suited for, helping you choose the ideal option for your gaming preferences.
1. Spree - Best Illinois online casino for RTP percentage
2. Stake.us - Best Il online casino for payout speed
3. High 5 Casino - Best Illinois casino site for game variety
4. NoLimitCoins - Best for daily Illinois casino bonuses
5. Funrize - Best for customer support
Best Illinois online casinos compared 2025
How we rate & rank online gambling sites Illinois
We deliver unbiased reviews of the best online casinos in Illinois, giving you clear insights into their strengths and weaknesses.
Each operator is tested against strict criteria so you can easily compare platforms before signing up.
Game selection: A strong game library is essential. We look for variety across classic table games, live dealer titles, and especially online slot sites with top providers and fair RTPs.
Bonuses & promotions: We break down welcome offers, free spins, and loyalty rewards. Our focus is on transparent terms so players can get real value from their casino bonuses.
Mobile compatibility: Every site is tested on mobile for speed and usability. We download and use each casino app to ensure players can enjoy the full experience on iOS and Android.
Payment methods: Fast and hassle-free banking is a must. We rate operators based on payout speed, available methods, and fees. Only platforms that function as a true fast payout casino make our top list.
Security: Security is non-negotiable. We only recommend a safe online casino that holds the right licenses and uses encryption to protect players.
Customer support: Good support is vital for trust. We test live chat, email, and phone options for speed and quality of service.
Fair play: We look closely at payout percentages and RNG testing. If you care about return-to-player rates, check our guide to the best payout casinos where fairness is proven.
We personally sign up, deposit, and play at every site we review.
If a casino doesn’t meet the standards we’d recommend to our own friends and family, we won’t recommend it to you.
Our process ensures you can quickly find the best online casino for your style of play, with full confidence in safety, fairness, and entertainment value.
How do I choose an Illinois online casino for me?
When picking a legal sweepstakes or social casino in Illinois, it helps to focus on features that ensure safety, entertainment, and value.
Here’s what to look for:
Security and legitimacy: Pick a sweepstakes or social casino that is widely recognized and trusted. These platforms use secure technology to protect player data and ensure fair play, giving you peace of mind while gaming.
Game variety: Look for sites that offer a broad mix of games. Popular options include online slots, table games, live dealer titles, and unique sweepstakes-style offerings. The best platforms partner with leading game studios, which results in better graphics, themes, and fairness.
Bonuses and promotions: Many sweepstakes casinos provide welcome offers such as free Sweeps Coins, Gold Coins, or bonus spins. These offers boost your balance and extend your playtime. Always check the rules to understand how coins can be redeemed for prizes.
Loyalty rewards: Some social casinos include loyalty or VIP programs that reward frequent play. Perks might include extra daily bonuses, faster coin accrual, or exclusive promotions. Review how these programs are structured to see if they fit your playing style.
Mobile compatibility: Choose a platform that works smoothly on mobile devices. Most leading sweepstakes casinos have apps or responsive websites, letting you play on your phone or tablet with the same quality as desktop.
Purchase and redemption options: Look at the payment methods available for purchasing coin packages, such as credit cards, PayPal, or gift cards. Just as important, review how Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards, and check if the process is quick and straightforward.
Customer support: Reliable customer service matters. Top sites provide live chat or email support to help you with any questions about promotions, gameplay, or redemptions.
User experience and design: A simple, well-structured layout makes gameplay enjoyable and easy to navigate. Test the platform to see if it feels intuitive, from browsing games to checking your coin balances.
Best Illinois casino apps
Here's a list of the best Illinois gambling apps with their App store rating for iOS and Android.
Illinois online gambling laws
Illinois gambling law permits several forms of regulated gambling, including sports betting, land-based and riverboat casinos, parimutuel betting on horse races, and a state lottery.
However, despite its relatively progressive stance on gambling, Illinois has yet to legalize real-money online casinos.
Players in the state can legally enjoy social and sweepstakes casinos, where virtual tokens are used instead of cash.
Additionally, online sportsbooks have been legal since 2019, and players no longer need to register at physical locations as of March 2022.
While there is potential for Illinois to generate up to $230 million annually in tax revenue from online casinos, concerns remain about the impact on brick-and-mortar casino revenue.
Illinois has a rich gambling history that dates back nearly a century.
In 1927, the state first approved pari-mutuel horse race betting, followed by the establishment of the Illinois State Lottery in 1974, which now contributes approximately $3 billion annually to the state’s revenue.
Illinois was an early adopter of riverboat casinos, passing the Riverboat Gambling Act in 1990, initially requiring boats to be in motion.
This changed in 1999 when docked casinos were permitted, making them more accessible.
The Video Gaming Act of 2009 further expanded gaming by allowing video terminals in certain establishments.
Since the legalization of online lottery sales in 2012 and sports betting in 2019, Illinois has consistently positioned itself as one of the nation’s leaders in gambling expansion.
Responsible online gambling Illinois
Before we end this article, we need to caution you to always bet and play responsibly on online casino sites.
To ensure you’re being cautious, these casinos implement various responsible gambling practices that will help you keep your betting habits in check and prevent unhealthy behaviors.
Limits: Online casinos allow you to set betting limits, i.e. limit how much you can bet in a day, a week, or a month.
Cashouts: You can withdraw your winnings quite easily from any online casino. This prevents you from spending all of your winnings. There’s also the option for early cashout, so you can still get paid if the bet is starting to go sideways.
Help & resources: Casinos provide access to resources for problem gamblers and point them to organizations that can help with gambling addiction.
Responsible gambling organizations and charities in the US
Frequently asked questions
Editorial policy
Our editorial policy ensures extensively researched, accurate, and unbiased content through strict sourcing standards and diligent review by top online gambling experts and seasoned editors.
This process maintains integrity, relevance, and value in all of our content for our readers.
References
To test casino sites accurately, we dive into analytical research of the online casino gambling industry to understand what features are best for you.
Below are the references we use when making these decisions on their levels of security: