Illinois prepares two laws to legalize online gaming

Features of the projects

Since the beginning of the 2025 legislature, several representatives have proposed projects to legalize the market for online casinos and poker rooms.

In February, two laws (HB 3080 and SB 1963) were presented to the Illinois Legislature by Cristina Castro and Edgar González Jr.

Both documents are very similar. The only difference is the status of their author since both laws will be considered in different chambers.

What are the principles on which Illinois plans to legalize iGaming in the state?

• Only companies with physical casinos or racetracks in the state can obtain a license to operate online.
• A license will allow up to 3 gaming sites to be created.
• The license would cost $250,000 and the extension $100,000.
• The tax rate would be 25%.
• The possibility of joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which allows poker rooms in different states to combine their gaming pools, is left open.

Interestingly, if a gaming company reduces its staff by more than 25% during the license's term, its chances of renewing said license would be very low.

Main Issues

Similar laws have already been introduced in Illinois since 2021. Since then, the main obstacle to legalizing online casinos and poker rooms (sports betting has been legal since 2019) has been the video gaming terminal (VGT) industry.

However, in 2025, the situation is more favorable for HB 3080 and SB 1963 creators. First, they have the support of Governor JB Pritzker, whose signature would turn these projects into law. In addition, Illinois has a $3 billion budget deficit this year, and legalizing online gambling could almost double the state's revenue from the industry and bring it to $1.5 billion.

Such gains are possible because Illinois has a population of 12.55 million people, almost equal to Pennsylvania, the largest state that has legalized gambling.

All four operators, PokerStars, BetMGM, WSOP, and BetRivers, already have sportsbooks in the state, and if they manage to secure a license, they could open their online poker rooms in Illinois in 2026.

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