Real Money Poker in Illinois
Illinois hasn’t always been well-disposed to the idea of legalized gambling. Nevertheless, its lawmakers seem more open to creating a gambling-friendly environment for its residents and visitors recently. The gambling regulations that the Prairie State passed in the past couple of years especially helped expand IL’s gambling scene.
This article will further explore the current IL online and land-based gambling sector. It’ll reveal whether and, if so, how recent IL legislation changes affect the offer of online poker for real money in Illinois.
- Is Real Money Poker Legal?
- Top Real Money IL Poker Sites
- How To Register
- Real Money Poker Apps
- Resources
- FAQ
Is Real Money Poker Legal in Illinois?
Illinois law’s gambling definition used to be very general, leaving a lot of room for interpretation. However, that changed with the latest IL Gambling Act from 2019. The act legalized all real money gambling activities, including poker, as long as they happen in state-licensed and regulated venues.
Thanks to this legislation, Illinois poker fans have several options when looking to play this casino classic for real money in the Prairie State today. These options include riverboat casinos, land-based casinos, racinos, and licensed locations with VGTs.
Illinois hasn’t passed any online gambling-related legislation yet. So, the state doesn’t offer any real money online casinos or poker rooms. However, poker aficionados open to playing modified poker games can still gamble in IL sweepstakes and social online casinos that don’t take rake.
Poker Laws
Illinois residents and visitors who plan on playing real money poker or engaging in gambling activities in this state should review all its laws beforehand.
You can find all relevant IL gambling legislation below:
Best Real Money Online Poker Sites in Illinois
As mentioned, Illinois boasts quite a few land-based gambling establishments with real money poker games.IL riverboat casinos were the first to offer poker games. They have been legal since 1990. The Riverboat Gaming Act obliged these venues to leave the dock to operate gambling activities legally. However, that’s no longer the case. There are ten currently in Illinois, and they all function like land-based gambling properties.
In 2009, Illinois passed the Video Gaming Act that allowed retail locations, truck stops, bars, restaurants, and other similar locations to place VGTs on their premises. VGTs are video gaming terminals similar to slot machines. They feature diverse games, including video poker.
The Illinois Gambling Act of 2019 authorized the construction of six additional land-based casinos in the state and allowed the racetracks to include slots and table games like poker in their offer, too.
Illinois currently has no state-licensed online casinos or real money poker games sites. Nevertheless, IL players can still play these games in US-friendly offshore online rooms. These gambling platforms offer many poker variants and often host tournaments. You can find the best one featured in the table at the top of this page.
My list of the best US poker sites which I consider to be the best rooms to play in 2023:
- BetOnline Poker
- Ignition Poker
- Everygame Poker
- Juicy Stakes Poker
- ACR Poker
- Bovada Poker
- BlackChip Poker
- SportsBetting Poker
100% Legal & Licensed Verified Bonus Mobile Friendly Advertiser Disclosure. Must be +18 to participate.
| Rank | Poker Rooms | Bonus | Review... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  |
Bonus
100% up to $1000 (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 1-3 daysLicensed by  |
| 2. |  |
Bonus
100% upto $3000 (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 1-3 daysLicensed by  |
| 3. |  |
Bonus
200% upto $1000 Welcome Bonus (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 1 - 5 daysLicensed by |
| 4. |  |
Bonus
200% upto $1000 Welcome Bonus (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 1 - 6 daysLicensed by |
| 5. |  |
Bonus
100% upto $1000 (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 1-3 daysLicensed by  |
| 6. |  |
Bonus
100% up to $500 (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 1-3 daysLicensed by |
| 7. |  |
Bonus
100% upto $1000 Welcome Bonus (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 2 - 5 daysLicensed by  |
| 8. |  |
Bonus
100% upto $1000 (T&C apply. 18+) |
Features
Payout Speed 1-3 daysLicensed by |
How to Register at a Real Money Poker Site
If any offshore online poker rooms from our list has intrigued you, you’ll be pleased to hear you can join it in no more than a couple of steps. Here’s what you should do:
Choose A Poker Room
Open your chosen poker sites homepageSignup
Select the Register or Join buttonEnter the information the registration form requires and submit your account request.
Verify your email address and log into your casino account.
Deposit & Play
Make a deposit and claim the welcome bonuses the casino has on offer.Browse the gaming section and find the poker variant you like.
Start gaming.
Real Money Mobile Poker Apps
The increased interest in mobile gambling has recently prompted many gambling operators to create standalone mobile apps. These apps are typically compatible with both iOS and Android devices and are available for download in their respective stores. Some sites even offer direct download links on their official websites to help their users start gaming immediately.
We go into more detail on mobile poker apps and how they work on another page. Click here if you’re interested in learning about the ones available to Illinoisan players.
Other Resources
Final Thoughts
Illinois has become one of the states with the most extensive offer of gambling venues in the country in the last couple of years.
Players interested in real money poker can find this game in numerous land-based casinos and gambling establishments. They can also play it for real money in many offshore online casinos that cater to them.
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