By Jane Shaw
Editor at Casinos.US
Updated: January 16, 2024
We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she's our gambling tech expert. Jane's also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.
Check out our Illinois casinos map below, which shows you exactly where each of the casinos in Illinois are situated. It should be really easy to use the map and find out which of the Illinois casinos is nearest to you.
| Provider Logo | Rating | Provider | Provider Website | Provider Address | Slots | Special Services | CTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino Joliet | Hollywood Casino Joliet | www.hollywoodcasinojoliet.com | 777 Hollywood Blvd, 60436, United States | 1177 |
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More About The Casino | |
| Hollywood Casino Aurora | Hollywood Casino Aurora | www.hollywoodcasinoaurora.com | 1 W New York St, 60506, United States | 1161 |
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More About The Casino | |
| Casino Queen Hotel St. Louis | Casino Queen Hotel St. Louis | draftkingsatcasinoqueen.com | 200 S Front St, 62201, United States | 1155 |
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More About The Casino |
| Rivers Casino Des Plaines - Chicago | Chicago | 147.000 | 48 | 10 | Read Our Review Visit Website |
| Hollywood Casino Joliet | Joliet | 50.000 | 25 | 5 | Read Our Review Visit Website |
| Jumer's Casino and Hotel | Rock Island | 42.500 | 24 | 6 | Read Our Review Visit Website |
Indian casinos, also called tribal casinos and Native American casinos, are casinos built on reservations. While there are many in other states throughout the country, there are none in Illinois. This shouldn’t be a problem though, as the commercial casinos offer enough variety to keep most casino fans entertained.
Racinos – venues that combine a racetrack and a casino – are not found in Illinois. It is legal to bet on horse racing in some casinos in the state though, meaning that you can bet on horses and play casino games in the same place.
It used to be the law that all casinos in Illinois has to be riverboat casinos. What’s more, the law stated that these casinos had to be moving in order to operate. This law has now been relaxed though, meaning that the casinos can be permanently docked. So, Illinois casinos are now a hybrid of riverboat and commercial casinos.
Below, you can see the full list of Illinois casinos. With only nine in total, it’s not a huge list, however most people in Illinois should be able to find a casino that is right for them. Remember that there are also casinos in some bordering states too, such as Iowa and Wisconsin, which are often visited by those from Illinois.
| All Casinos in Chicago | ||||
| Rivers Casino Des Plaines - Chicago | 3000 S River Rd, Chicago, 60018 | |||
| Grand Victoria Casino - Elgin | 250 S Grove Ave, Elgin, 60120 | |||
| Hollywood Casino Joliet | 777 Hollywood Blvd, Joliet, 60436 | |||
| Harrah's Joliet | 151 N Joliet St, Joliet, 60432 | Chicago | ||
| Hollywood Casino Aurora | 1 W New York St, Aurora, 60506 | |||
| All Casinos in Rock Island | ||||
| Jumer's Casino and Hotel | 777 Jumer Dr, Rock Island, 61201 | |||
| All Casinos in St. Louis | ||||
| Casino Queen Hotel St. Louis | 200 S Front St, St. Louis, 62201 | |||
| Argosy Casino Alton | 1 Piasa St, Alton, Alton, 62002 | |||
| Harrah's Metropolis | 100 E Front St, Metropolis, 62960 | |||
At the moment, there are plans to open another six casinos in the state. This plan is only in its early stages though, with locations still being chosen. Many involved in gambling in Illinois hope that these new casinos, as well as the recently legalized sports betting, will help to make the state a destination for gambling fans. So, expect to see some new Illinois gambling cities at some point!
Looking to find out about gambling in Illinois? Perhaps you want to know how old you need to be to play in a casino, or what types of games are found in Illinois casinos? If so, you’ll find the answers you need below, as well as information on many other topics too.
| Illinois Gambling Topics | Gambling Facts for Illinois |
|---|---|
| Number of Casinos | 9 |
| Casino Types | Commercial, Cruise Ships/Riverboats |
| Casino Games Offered | Slots, Casino Poker, Poker Cash and Poker Tournaments, Roulette, Blackjack, Dice Games, Lottery Games, Other Games, Sports Betting, |
| Age | 21+ Casinos, Sports Betting, 18+ Lottery, |
| Smoking | Yes/No*, *Smoking inside is prohibited but there are external smoking areas in each Illinois casino |
| Drinking | Yes/No*, *Drinking while playing is allowed, but no free alcoholic drinks are served |
| Opening Hours |
24/7
,
Some casinos are closed on Easter and Christmas. Check the brands pages for more info
|
| Betting Limit | No legal limits |
| Taxation of Winnings | Yes/No, for additional details click here |
When it comes to the games found in Illinois casinos, you’ll find pretty much everything. Whether you’re looking to play slot machines, blackjack or anything else, you should find it easily. What’s more, unlike casinos in some other states, Illinois casinos are allowed to also offer sports betting to patrons.
Illinois has a flat rate of income tax, which is 4.95%. Wins of any size won in an Illinois casino must be declared and tax must be paid. It will also be necessary to pay federal tax of 24% on any wins over a certain amount, which differs from game to game (it’s $1,200 for slots), or on wins that are worth 300x the original stake or more.
When it comes to gambling laws in Illinois, the state has more relaxed rules than many other states. Casinos are legal in the state, plus sports betting has also recently been legalized. The two most important Illinois gambling laws are summarized below.
This legalized riverboat casinos in 1991. The law is now slightly different, as casinos can be in moored vessels that don’t leave the dock.
This act made significant changes to gambling law in Illinois, including legalizing sports betting online and offline.
As with many states in the country, Illinois has a long history with gambling. Nowadays, the lottery, casinos and sports betting are all legal in the state. Take a look below to see some of the key dates in the history of gambling in Illinois.
The first riverboat casino in Illinois opened in 1991.
1800s Illinois has a large problem with unlicensed riverboat casinos and the clientele they attract. Gambling is eventually banned altogether in the state.
1927 Pari-mutuel betting is legalized in Illinois.
1975 Illinois becomes the first state in the country to introduce a lottery.
1990 The Riverboat Casino Act is passed, legalizing riverboat casinos. These casinos had to be moving along a waterway in order to legally operate.
1991 The first riverboat casino opened.
1999 A change to the law means that casinos no longer need to be on moving riverboats.
2019 Sports betting is legalized in Illinois, both online and offline. Both forms of sports betting began in 2020.
With the fact that sports betting has just been legalized, it’s unlikely that there will be any other changes to gambling regulations in Illinois soon.
Illinois doesn’t have the largest casino resorts, however they’re still great fun and provide accommodation, as well as entertainment, restaurants and more. Perhaps the best way to visit a casino resort is by signing up to a trip, and there are plenty of them to choose from. We’ve listed the best casino resorts in Illinois below, as well as three trips that will take you to an Illinois casino.
Casino resorts don’t just offer gambling, as they also have many other aspects to them. This means that they can be a great place to spend an entire day, or even a whole weekend. The casino resorts below all offer accommodation, as well as dining options. Check out the special packages too, which can really lead to some fantastic deals.
| Number of Rooms | 260 |
|---|---|
| Price Range ($) | 55-159 |
| Special Packages | "$20 Daily Food Credit" |
| Additional Services | Fitness, Restaurants, Meeting space |
| Number of Rooms | 212 |
|---|---|
| Price Range ($) | 109-599 |
| Special Packages | "Romance Package", "High Roller Package", "Stay and Play Package" |
| Additional Services | Pool, Fitness, Live concerts |
| Number of Rooms | 204 |
|---|---|
| Price Range ($) | 89-249 |
| Special Packages | "$40 Food Credit" |
| Additional Services | Fitness, Restaurants, Meeting space |
If you don’t fancy driving to a casino yourself, why not jump on a casino trip? These visit various Illinois casinos, and some even visit large casino resorts outside of the state. These trips will include transportation to and from the casino, plus some also include special perks, such as free play on slot machines. You can see three top Illinois casino trips below.
| Provider | CTA | Trips | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green River Lines | Visit Website |
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| Airport Express | Visit Website |
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| D&S Tours | Check FB page |
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Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to provide only accurate and up-to-date information, please be aware that casinos.us shall not be held responsible for any inaccuracies in the offer packages or other details listed.
| Capital | Springfield |
|---|---|
| Largest Cities | Chicago, Aurora, Rockford |
| Size | 57913.55 sq mi |
| Population | 12,671,821 (2019) |
| Time Zone | Central: UTC -6/-5 |
| Abbreviation | IL, Il. |