Illinois Gambling and Lottery Laws
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw’s team of legal writers and attorneys and in accordance with our editorial standards.
The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area.
Lotteries, casinos, race tracks, and other games of chance often are proposed as ways to raise tax revenue for the state, with varying results. Illinois runs a statewide lottery and also allows floating casinos (typically on riverboats) and horse racing venues. What all of these have in common is their regulation through state laws, which define the manner in which lotteries and casinos may be operated and levies taxes on these activities. For example, Illinois law requires a $4 tax per person admitted to a riverboat casino. This section covers Illinois laws related to the state lottery, riverboat casinos, and gambling in general.