Illinois Sports Betting
Mobile/Online Retail
State Market Snapshot
Mobile & Retail Available
March 2020 (retail); June 18, 2020 (mobile)
20%-40% progressive on AGR + per-wager fee ($0.25 first 20M wagers, then $0.50)
Authorized Operators
DraftKings FanDuel BetMGM bet365 Caesars Sportsbook Fanatics Sportsbook BetRivers Hard Rock Bet theScore Bet Circa Sports
Market Notes
- Handle and growth: Illinois generated approximately $15.53-$15.65 billion in total sports betting handle for calendar year 2025 (up ~11-11.7% from ~$14.01 billion in 2024). It remains the second-largest U.S. market by handle. Early-to-mid 2026 has shown softer volume, with multiple months of year-over-year handle declines (e.g., May 2026 at $1.14 billion, down ~10%), though the state continues to post consecutive $1 billion+ monthly handles and holds the No. 2 national ranking. High taxes and the per-wager fee are widely cited as contributing factors.
Market split: Mobile continues to dominate at roughly 97-98% of the handle across the 10 online skins. Retail accounts for the remaining 2-3% at casinos and related venues.
Hold and tax: Statewide hold has recently ranged higher (often 10-16% in individual months; 2025 full-year GGR was approximately $2.26 billion, implying ~14.4% hold). Illinois applies a progressive tax (20% on the first $30M AGR, rising to 40% above $200M) plus the per-wager fee that took effect July 1, 2025. This structure, combined with Cook County’s 2% and Chicago’s 10.25% local taxes, generated roughly $429 million (FY 2025) to ~$534-$560 million (calendar 2025, including local shares) in sports betting tax revenue. Funds support education, infrastructure, capital projects, and problem-gambling programs. Effective tax rates for the largest operators frequently exceed 40-50% once all layers are included.
Regulatory note: The Illinois Gaming Board oversees a highly competitive but heavily taxed market. Operators have responded to the per-wager tax with direct pass-through fees (commonly $0.25-$0.50), higher minimum bets (ranging from $1 to $10 depending on the book), or both. Chicago’s additional 10.25% local tax is fully in effect. Enforcement against offshore and unlicensed operators remains active. A proposal to repeal the per-wager fee has been discussed but has not advanced as of mid-2026.