With the current laws in place, finding the best online casinos in Illinois is an impossible task. However, I have had some fun getting familiar with sweepstakes casino sites, which are legally available to you.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a full understanding of the current legal position of online casinos in Illinois. This includes everything from possible punishments for visiting or operating illegal sites to the various reasons why a social casino could be the most appropriate option for you. Shall we get started?
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At the time of writing, you won’t be legally able to check out new online casinos in Illinois. Unauthorized activities are strictly prohibited under the Illinois Gambling Act, and engaging in such activities could have serious repercussions for you.
Fortunately, casino-style gaming and various other forms of gambling are still available. Unless mentioned, you will find that all are governed by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB).
In short, yes. So, if you had any urge to check out the best free spin casinos, I would suggest hanging back until the legal situation in Illinois has changed.
Currently, if you knowingly violate the laws surrounding online casinos in Illinois, you’ll be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. This could see a hefty $50,000 fine coming your way. Civil penalties, including fines and the removal of casino equipment, could also be applied to organizations conducting illicit gambling activities.
Although real-money online casinos aren’t available in Illinois, all is not lost. As you can see, you can check out land-based casinos, visit retail sportsbooks, enter the state lottery, and even enjoy charitable games, like craps, bang, and blackjack.
Contrary to what I found reviewing the best online casinos in Washington, Illinois-based players also have the chance to play casino-style games at a social casino. These sites take the idea of real-money gambling, but allow you to enjoy it following a different set of rules.
Sweepstakes casinos follow a ‘no purchase necessary to play’ rule, ensuring that you can always play casino-style games for free. Once registered, you’ll find that you are presented with two virtual currencies, allowing you to switch between fun and promotional play.
As mentioned, these virtual currencies are released without spending a dime, meaning you can soon head to the lobby and begin filtering through casino-style games. Due to this approach, social casinos are considered to offer games of skill (not luck) and are deemed legal to operate in Illinois.
Before I dive into the foundations of social gaming, let me quickly provide you with a few pros and cons.
Your virtual currencies will provide the backbone to your social gaming experience, allowing you to decide whether you wish to test out new games and strategies with fun as the focus or whether you wish to dive right into the promotional side of things. When it comes to physically playing at a social casino, you will use these virtual currencies in the same way; however, there are some clear differences.
Armed with your virtual currencies, you’ll want to head on down to the lobby to find out what’s in store. Thankfully, long gone are the days of solely relying on in-house titles. Nowadays, you’ll find a great selection of casino-style games from some of the biggest software providers around.
You’ll notice that the social casinos listed in the banners on this page all boast impressive portfolios, housing everything from Vegas-style slots and baccarat to live games and Slingo. To help get you underway, I’ve made sure to share a few of my favorite titles with you.
| Casino-style game | Provider | Theme | RTP | Available at |
| Big Bass Bonanza 1000 | Pragmatic Play | Fishing | 96.5% | Stake.us |
| Viking Crusade | Ruby Play | Nordic / Viking | 96.5% | Mega Bonanza |
| Buffalo Rampage | Spinomenal | Buffalo / Hold & hit | 96.8% | McLuck |
| Joker’s Jewels | Pragmatic Play | Three-reel / Joker | 96.5% | Real Prize |
Social gaming sites come with their own terms of service; however, you will also have to abide by the state laws. In Illinois, this means that you will need to take the following into account before making use of the banners on this page:
That should have covered the basics of playing at a social casino in Illinois. Now, it is time to focus on the key things that I pay attention to while building my dedicated reviews. Remember that you can see exactly how all of this comes together by clicking on the social casinos highlighted in the banners on this page.
First and foremost, I want to ensure that your social gaming experience is safe. So, after confirming that it is legal to operate in Illinois, I’ll be looking to complete additional checks that focus on your protection. This includes things like the following:
After confirming the safety, I’ll focus on the usability of the best social casinos in Illinois. This all begins at the sign-up stage. So, I’ll be detailing how to physically sign up, including the various methods and details requested, before moving over to how the site functions as a whole.
Here, I’ll check the overall design and layout, highlighting whether key areas are easy to spot and quick to load. I’ll put games to the test, contact support, and let you know how simple it is to navigate as a new or experienced user.
With everything becoming more accessible, it was only a matter of time before dedicated apps or mobile optimization hit the social gaming scene. So, for those looking at the best social casinos in Illinois, I’ve made sure that I discuss how this looks through your mobile device.
Initially, I’ll detail how you can access your chosen social casino on the go, before focusing on the functionality and how well the desktop experience transfers over.
This is a big one. I know that the new customer offer can make or break your decision, so I’ll be sure to give you an authentic look at what to expect.
Although you should find that all credible social casinos provide you with a free-to-release bonus, you may also come across a first-time Gold Coin purchase promo. Rest assured that I’ll be covering these types of offers for you as well.
Those of you playing with Gold Coins won’t need to worry; however, I am sure that many of you will be hoping to work your way through the prize redemption process at some stage.
With this in mind, I make sure that you have a complete understanding of how Sweeps Coins work, including a look at how to play through those you have won through gameplay. I’ll even discuss how to pass Know Your Customer checks, the kind of prizes available, and roughly how long you can expect to wait to receive them.
Whether your social gaming focus is aimed at having fun or in the sweepstakes mode, you’ll want to make sure that you have a solid collection of casino-style titles to choose from.
In the banners on this page, you’ll find some impressive libraries that are packed with games from the likes of NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, and Hacksaw Gaming. Not to mention that you can now load up Vegas-style slots, Slingo, video poker, live game shows, and just about everything in between.
Legally, social casinos must ensure that you can continue playing for free. So, after I’ve reviewed the new customer offer, I’ll make a quick dash over to the ‘promotions’ section.
Here, I’ll study the page before breaking down the type of bonuses available to you. Generally speaking, you can expect variations of a daily login offer, a refer-a-friend bonus, and regular races or tournaments. However, at some of the best, you’ll even come across dedicated VIP programs.
In truth, many top social casinos manage to tick most, if not all, of these boxes. So, I make sure that I really hone in on those additional perks that can help to personalize your experience and eventually help you to make your final decisions. Although not comprehensive, this list provides you with a few things to look out for.
Hopefully, you now have an idea of whether a social casino is going to be the right alternative for you. If so, you’ll want to follow this step-by-step guide to help get things underway.
Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to help you find the best online casinos in Illinois until they change the legal position. In the interim, however, I can focus your sights on the best social casinos around.
These sites follow the sweepstakes model, allowing you to play casino-style games for free. They are also completely legal in Illinois, meaning you don’t need to worry about picking up a hefty fine. Instead, you can register, unlock your virtual currencies, and soon begin playing across stacked casino-style gaming lobbies. I’ve even done the hard work for you and ensured that the best social casinos are viewable in the banners on this page.
As I found while checking out the best online casinos in California, there are legal restrictions that prohibit online casinos from opening their virtual doors in Illinois. However, you can still access casino-style gaming at a social casino.
Social casinos work using a free-to-play model and are considered to provide games of skill. This is the complete opposite of real-money igaming, and is the very reason you won’t find the best real-money online casinos in Illinois.
Although you aren’t going to find the best online casinos in Illinois, you will discover land-based casinos, retail sportsbooks, the state lottery, and charitable gaming. Plus, you can still enjoy casino-style games at a top social casino site.
Yes. Obviously, I can’t guarantee that your sports bet, lottery ticket, or spin on retail slot machines will be successful, but it is possible to leave Illinois with winnings. You can also play for fun or in a promotional manner at a sweepstakes casino.
You can’t win real money at a social casino. However, you can play with your bonus Sweeps Coins in a promotional manner. From here, you’ll need to win additional Sweeps Coins, play through them, and meet the minimum prize redemption limits before looking to exchange for prizes.
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