Best Illinois Sportsbooks and Betting Apps November 2026
Illinois began taking legal sports bets in 2020, and every sportsbook on this page holds a license from the Illinois Gaming Board. Below you'll find the licensed apps, then the state rules that matter most before you bet, from the in-state college ban to the per-wager tax.
9 licensed sportsbooks
Illinois Gaming Board
21+
Live since June 2020
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Licensed sportsbooks in Illinois: November 2026
Ranked by our research score. Every brand here is licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board; you must be physically in Illinois to bet.
theScore Bet review: PENN-owned sportsbook regulated in Ontario, Alberta and licensed US states, with streaming, parlays and a first-bet bonus offer.
Backed by PENN Entertainment
Regulated in Ontario, Alberta and 20 US states
Streaming for funded accounts, subject to blackouts
Casino only in Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the US
App reviews mention withdrawal delays and verification
Operator
PENN Entertainment
Licensee
Penn Sports Interactive, LLC (branded as theScore Bet)
Offer terms: 21+. First cash wager on any market; if it loses, you get the stake back up to $1,000 as five Bonus Bets, each worth 20% of the stake. Bonus Bets are credited within 72 hours and must be used within 7 days. Cashed-out or voided wagers and wagers not funded from the cash wallet do not count. Full T&Cs | Please gamble responsibly
Hard Rock Bet review: regulated sportsbook and online casino in Ontario (AGCO, iGaming Ontario) and 10 US states, with a rewards programme. Safety and payments.
No promo code needed to register, it says
Same Game Parlays, in-play betting and prop bets
Rewards programme tied to Hard Rock venues
Casino limited to New Jersey and Michigan in the US
Offer values are not stated on its main pages
Licensee
Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC (all states except FL); Seminole Tribe of Florida (FL)
DraftKings is a licensed US and Canadian sportsbook and casino with same-game parlays and live betting. See state and province availability and key facts.
Sportsbook live in 27 US states, plus Ontario and Alberta
Same-game parlays and live betting listed in its app
Licensed state by state through separate state-level entities
Casino is limited to five US states: CT, MI, NJ, PA and WV
Welcome offers differ by state and expire quickly
Operator
DraftKings Inc.
Licensee
Crown [State] Gaming LLC entities (e.g. Crown NC Gaming, LLC; Crown IA Gaming LLC; Crown Ohio Gaming, LLC; Crown KY Gaming LLC), all d/b/a DraftKings
bet365 review: a privately owned sportsbook licensed by the UKGC, regulated in Ontario and Alberta, and licensed in 18 US states. Ownership and safety.
Privately owned by the Coates family for over 20 years
Licensed in the UK, Ontario, Alberta and 18 US states
Separate UKGC licences for betting and casino
Online casino only in four US states
Welcome offers differ by region, state and product, and they change often
Operator
bet365 (privately owned by the Coates family)
Launched
2000
Licensee
Hillside ([State]) LLC entities (e.g. Hillside (North Carolina), LLC; Hillside (Iowa) LLC; Hillside Ohio, LLC; Hillside (Kentucky) Llc), d/b/a bet365
Caesars Sportsbook is licensed across 23 US states plus Ontario and Alberta. Read about its history, Caesars Rewards link, offer and safer gambling tools.
Sportsbook licensed in 23 US states
Bets earn Caesars Rewards benefits
Regulated in Ontario and Alberta
US casino sits under a separate Caesars Palace brand
Welcome boosts have a 14-day use window
Licensee
American Wagering, Inc. (d/b/a Caesars Sportsbook)
Illinois has taken legal sports bets since 2020, and every legal sportsbook is licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board.
You can't bet on Illinois college teams at all, online or at a retail sportsbook.
Online operators pay a per-wager tax, and some pass it on to you as a fee on smaller bets.
Illinois taxes your winnings at the flat 4.95% income tax rate.
You must be 21 or older. Help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER.
How online sports betting works in Illinois
The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) licenses and regulates every sportsbook. Each online brand runs under a partner license, usually tied to a casino or racetrack. FanDuel, for example, is listed with Fairmount Park and DraftKings with Casino Queen. The IGB’s list of authorized sportsbooks shows 10 online and mobile brands plus 12 retail sportsbooks, and not all of them are ranked above.
It is one of the biggest markets in the country. More than $15 billion was wagered on sports in Illinois in fiscal year 2026 (July 2025 to June 2026), and bettors lost about $1.4 billion on sports bets that year, according to Capitol News Illinois’s summary of the state’s annual Wagering in Illinois report. November 2025 set the monthly record with $1.66 billion in handle, according to Illinois Gaming Board figures reported by InGame.
This is the rule that catches most new bettors. Since July 1, 2024, Illinois sportsbooks can’t take any bets on in-state college teams. That covers moneylines, spreads and totals on any program that plays its home games in Illinois, such as the Fighting Illini or SIU Edwardsville. The Sports Wagering Act says a licensee may not accept a wager on an event involving an Illinois collegiate team, so the ban covers online apps and retail counters alike. Online bets on these teams have never been allowed. Until July 1, 2024, you could place pre-game bets settled on the final outcome in person only, but that exception expired and lawmakers did not renew it.
Per-bet fees
Since July 1, 2025, online operators have paid a tax on every bet, whatever the stake (more on this below). Several sportsbooks pass it on. In June 2025, FanDuel and DraftKings each announced a 50-cent fee per bet, Front Office Sports reported, and SBC Americas reported that Fanatics would add a 25-cent fee. FanDuel’s 50-cent fee started on September 1, 2025. It was paused in April 2026 and came back in October 2026, according to Yogonet. It now applies only to qualifying bets: straight bets of $25 or more, parlays of $10 or more and wagers placed entirely with bonus bets are exempt. On a $5 straight bet, a 50-cent fee is 10% of your stake before the game even starts, so check your bet slip.
Credit cards may be phased out
At its April 24, 2025 meeting the IGB adopted a proposed rule banning credit cards for funding sports betting accounts and sent it to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Debit cards and ACH bank transfers would still be allowed. We have not been able to confirm a final status or an effective date. Separately, DraftKings said in August 2025 that it would stop accepting credit card deposits nationwide.
Sports betting taxes in Illinois
What the sportsbooks pay
Illinois replaced its flat 15% state rate on July 1, 2024 with a graduated privilege tax on each operator’s yearly adjusted gross receipts:
Yearly adjusted gross receipts
Tax rate
Up to $30 million
20%
$30 million to $50 million
25%
$50 million to $100 million
30%
$100 million to $200 million
35%
Over $200 million
40%
On top of that, since July 1, 2025 each online operator pays 25 cents on each of its first 20 million online bets in a fiscal year and 50 cents on each bet after that, according to the Illinois Gaming Board’s guidance to operators. Retail bets at kiosks and counters are not charged. Illinois was the first state to impose a per-wager tax on online sports bets, NBC Chicago reported.
The table shows the state privilege tax only. The state also collects an extra 2% of adjusted gross receipts from bets placed in Cook County, according to Taft. Chicago added its own 10.25% tax on sportsbooks’ net revenue from January 1, 2026, and the Sports Betting Alliance, whose members include DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM, has challenged it in court, according to Capitol News Illinois.
What you pay on winnings
Illinois taxes gambling winnings, including sports betting, as income at the flat individual rate of 4.95%. When your winnings are subject to federal withholding (for example, more than $5,000 in a single payment from a wagering pool or wager), Illinois tax is withheld too, and you complete Form IL-5754. Federal tax also applies, as our US hub explains. Keep your own records and talk to a tax adviser about your situation.
Safer gambling in Illinois
The IGB runs a free Self-Exclusion Program. You must enroll in person at a sanctioned site, such as an IGB office at a casino, which accepts walk-ins. Bring a valid driver’s license or state ID and allow 30 to 45 minutes. Terms currently run five years or more, according to Capitol News Illinois. Once you’re on the list, you are barred from sports wagering with licensed Illinois operators.
For help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. For questions about the program, call the Self-Exclusion Program Director at (312) 814-8832, or 1-877-968-7848 from an Illinois area code. Our responsible gambling page covers the wider support available.
What is changing
Shorter self-exclusion terms. In September 2026 the IGB proposed six-month, one-year and three-year options, plus enrollment by notarized mail, provider referral or an online portal. The IGB says no online portal exists yet. Rule review alone could take six months to a year, and Capitol News Illinois reports full rollout could take years.
Fantasy contests. In September 2026 the IGB passed a rule bringing fantasy contests under its regulation, as the Sports Wagering Act requires. Fantasy players must be at least 21.
Frequently asked questions
Is online sports betting legal in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois began taking legal sports bets in 2020. Every legal sportsbook is licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board, which publishes its list of authorized operators.
What is the best sportsbook in Illinois?
It depends on what you value, such as markets, app design and per-bet fees. Our ranked list above only includes sportsbooks licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board. DraftKings and FanDuel paid nearly 85% of the state's per-wager surcharges in November 2025, InGame reported, so they take most online bets, but the biggest is not automatically the best for you.
Can I bet on Illinois college teams like the Fighting Illini?
No. Since July 1, 2024, Illinois sportsbooks can't accept any bets on in-state college teams, online or at retail. You can still bet on game lines for out-of-state college teams.
Why do sportsbooks charge a fee per bet in Illinois?
Since July 1, 2025, Illinois has taxed each online operator 25 cents on each of its first 20 million bets a fiscal year and 50 cents on each bet after that. Some operators pass this on. FanDuel charges 50 cents on qualifying bets; straight bets of $25 or more, parlays of $10 or more and bonus-bet wagers are exempt. It paused the fee in April 2026 and brought it back in October 2026. DraftKings also announced a per-bet fee in 2025, so check your bet slip.
Are sports betting winnings taxed in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois taxes gambling winnings as income at the flat 4.95% rate, and federal tax applies as well. When your winnings are subject to federal withholding, Illinois tax is withheld too. Talk to a tax adviser about your own situation.
Can I use a credit card to deposit at Illinois sportsbooks?
Possibly not for much longer. On April 24, 2025 the Illinois Gaming Board adopted a proposed rule banning credit cards for funding sports betting accounts. We have not been able to confirm a final status or an effective date. DraftKings separately said in August 2025 it would stop credit card deposits nationwide. Debit cards and ACH bank transfers would remain allowed under the proposal.
Daniel Ward founded BettingSeeker and is responsible for everything published on it. He has spent his career in SEO and content for online betting and casino comparison sites, and today leads SEO for a portfolio of gambling comparison sites across several countries.
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