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Updated November 2026

Online Poker in Illinois (2026)

What the law says, what is licensed, and which sites take Illinois players.

By NorthernNuts · Facts checked November 14, 2026

Is online poker legal in Illinois? Not licensed

No online poker site is licensed in Illinois. The state has not passed a law to regulate it.

What Illinois law says

Illinois has no law that licenses online poker or online casinos. Bills are filed most years and none has passed the House.

Online sportsbooks are legal.

What is likely to change

There is no strong push at the moment. Illinois is a state where sweepstakes sites sit in a grey area, with no ban law passed.

Real money online poker in Illinois: the offshore sites

Read this first. None of the sites below is licensed in Illinois or by any US regulator. They are based outside the country and choose to take sign-ups from Illinois. If a site closes, freezes a withdrawal or changes its terms, no US agency will step in for you. Whether you play is your decision and your risk.

These are the rooms that currently accept players from Illinois:

ACR Poker

WELCOME BONUS100% up to $2,000
REFERRAL CODESydney100

Tournament players and regular grinders. Winning Poker Network. Rakeback: 27% flat, or Elite Benefits.

Visit ACR

Black Chip Poker

WELCOME BONUS100% up to $2,000

ACR's tables with a smaller site's promotions. Winning Poker Network. Rakeback: 27% flat, or Elite Benefits.

Visit Black Chip

BetOnline Poker

WELCOME BONUS100% up to $1,000

Softer cash games; sports bettors. Chico Poker Network. Rakeback: Races and leaderboards.

Visit BetOnline

Ignition Poker

WELCOME BONUSUp to $1,500 for poker

Casual players who want anonymous tables. PaiWangLuo. Rakeback: None; anonymous tables.

Visit Ignition

Bovada Poker

WELCOME BONUS100% up to $500

Players who also bet sports. PaiWangLuo. Rakeback: None; anonymous tables.

Visit Bovada

State lists come from each room's terms and can change without notice. The sign-up form is the final word.

Sweepstakes poker in Illinois

Illinois has not banned sweepstakes poker sites as of November 14, 2026, though eleven states have since 2025 and more bills are filed each year. See where sweepstakes poker stands.

Live poker in Illinois

Poker is legal at Illinois casinos. Many Chicago players cross into Indiana, where several of the area's biggest poker rooms are.

Common questions

Is online poker legal in Illinois?

No online poker site is licensed in Illinois. The state has not passed a law to regulate it.

Can I get in trouble for playing online poker in Illinois?

We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. Gambling laws in most states are aimed at people who run games, not people who play them, but the wording differs state to state. If it matters to you, ask a Illinois lawyer.

Which poker sites accept Illinois players?

ACR Poker, Black Chip Poker, BetOnline Poker, Ignition Poker, Bovada Poker currently take sign-ups from Illinois. None is licensed in the state.

Do I have to be in the state to play?

On a state-licensed site, yes: your phone or computer is location-checked. Offshore sites decide by the address you register with.

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