Illinois Sweepstakes Casinos

Fortunately, sweepstakes casinos have risen to fill this void. Since these sites allow players to enjoy titles using virtual currencies, residents of the Prairie State can enjoy their favorite titles and stay within the confines of the law.

You are on the right page if you are new to IL sweepstakes casinos. We will explore everything about these sites: why they are legal in Illinois, how they work, their offerings, games, and more.

Illinois Gambling Laws: Online Casino Legal Updates

Playing games on online casino gambling sites is not legal in Illinois based on its latest gambling laws. Illinois first established its gambling laws in the 1920s to allow for horse racing bets. While this was popular for a few years, the industry drastically declined, thus leading to the Riverboat Gaming Act in 1990. Like horse racing, this occupied the gambling scene in Illinois until the introduction of video gaming.

In 2009, Illinois established the Illinois Video Gaming Act, which allowed truck shops and alcohol-serving establishments to use slot machines. With this, bars and restaurants can have up to 6 slot machines and offer video gambling activities to players in Illinois.

Illinois experienced a major shift in 2019 with the introduction of the Illinois Gambling Act of 2019, which legalized sports betting. Now, you can find some of the top sportsbooks like DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel offering their services to players.

In contrast, the legalization of online gambling sites has experienced many setbacks. The Illinois senate introduced bill HB 3142 on January 10th, also referred to as the Internet Gaming Act, to legalize online casinos. On February 8th, a new bill, SB 1656, was introduced by Senator Cristina Castro to legalize online casinos in Illinois. Bill SB1656 aimed to give Illinois casinos and race tracks the authority to apply for gaming licenses for a fee and a low 15% tax rate.

Both bills got to the Senate Assignments Committee in March 2023. However, the Senate Executive Committee took no action on these bills, leading to the halt of any new Illinois online gaming laws and making online casinos illegal in Illinois to date.

Fortunately, there is hope for players who enjoy playing games online in the Prairie State. You can do this legally by visiting sweepstakes casinos, which can legally offer their services in Illinois. Read on as we show you how these sites work below.

How You Can Play Slots and Casino Games in Illinois

Online casinos are not legal in IL like we have already established. But this does not mean no options are available if you want to gamble online. Many offshore online casinos allow you to wager on your favorite games for a chance to win real money. Since these sites have licenses from authorities like Curacao, you can play slot games from Illinois. But even though offshore casinos promise an amazing selection of slot games and bonuses, we don’t recommend them. They don’t have a valid US license which means they are not properly regulated. Some offer rigged games, have terrible security, and may run off with your deposits.

IL players who want safer legal alternatives to play online casino games also have the option of choosing social casinos. These sites are legal in Illinois since they let you play games for free using virtual currencies known as Gold Coins. Moreover, you can register and play without the need for a deposit. Here, you can find fun casino games, including slot games from leading providers. On the downside, you’ll be unable to win real money prizes on social casinos since you only play with gold coins.

While social casinos are great, the absence of real money winnings does not give the same feel as playing in a real money casino. If you are after this, sweepstakes casinos are your best bet. These sites are like social casinos but allow you to play casino-style games like slots, table games, fish games, and live dealer titles for free using gold or sweepstakes coins through the premium mode.

With gold coins, you play for entertainment and a chance to win more gold coins. In contrast, you play with sweeps coins in the premium mode and can redeem any winnings for real money prizes. Illinois sweepstakes casinos also don’t require any deposits to begin, as you get free gold coins and sweeps coins when you register.

The best part about sweepstakes IL online casinos is that registering is easy. Simply choose your preferred sweepstakes site from our recommended list, click the “sign-up” button, and enter the required information. Sometimes, you may need to provide your identity to show you are 18 or older and reside in a legal state. Once done, you’ll get your sweeps casino bonus to use as you please.

How are sweepstakes casinos legal in Illinois?

Sweepstakes casinos are legal in almost all US states except Washington, Michigan, and Idaho. These legal online casino gaming platforms have a “no purchase required” policy to begin and only support virtual currencies, which separates them from online casinos. After registration, you get free gold coins and sweeps coins, which you can use to play and win even more. This is unlike online casinos that make it compulsory to make deposits before you can wager.

While you can purchase more gold coins on sweepstakes sites, sweeps coins always come as a bonus, which you can later redeem for cash prizes – thus ensuring you are not directly betting with cash. This simple process makes sweepstakes online casinos in Illinois legal.

Overview Of the Best Sweepstakes Casinos in Illinois

Our experts have hand-picked 5 of the best online casinos in Illinois for sweepstakes gaming that offer an excellent combination of games, bonuses, payment options, and more.

1. WOW Vegas Casino – Best for Casino Game Selection

WOW Vegas is a new sweepstakes casino operated by MW SERVICES LIMITED. While only starting operations in 2022, it has amassed an impressive collection of 1000+ casino-style games, including the best slots in the US. Illinois players will find games from top developers like Pragmatic Play, Habanero, and Playnova. A notable aspect of WOW Vegas is the extensive payment methods, which include reputable names like Visa and Apple Pay. Register at WOW Vegas using our link and get 5 SC + 250,000 over three days. If you make a purchase of at least $10, you’ll also be eligible for an impressive 200% purchase bonus.

2. Fortune Coins Casino – Best for Sweeps Bonuses and Promotions

Fortune Coins is owned by Social Gaming LLC and stands out for its impressive range of bonuses and progressive games. While its collection is smaller, with only 200+ games, they come from notable names like Pragmatic Play and Relax Gaming. These also extend across all categories, including slots, fish games, and a progressive jackpot network with many free coins for grabs. Join Fortune Coins using our link and claim 630,000 GC + 1400 FC to play. If you stick around, you’ll benefit from slot tournaments, social media contests, daily free sweeps coins up to 30,000 GC + 100 FC, and more!

3. Pulsz Casino – Best for Slots Variety

If you enjoy slot games, then look no further than Pulsz Casino. Illinois players will find 800+ games from well-known developers like Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, and Habanero. For a unique experience, we suggest you check out titles like Gold Rush and Diamond Strike. You can enjoy all Pulsz casino games without restrictions via your PC or its dedicated mobile apps. Register at Pulsz today and claim your 5,000 gold coins and 2.3 sweepstakes coins to begin!

4. High 5 Casino – Best for In House Titles

High 5 is a premium sweepstakes site operated by High 5 Entertainment, LLC. It is legal in most US states, including Illinois. Unlike many other platforms on our list, this site has been around since 1995 and has been making waves to date. You’ll find over 800 casino games, including slots, table games, and 10+ live dealer titles. Don’t worry about quality, as most titles are from Pragmatic Play and High 5 Games. High 5 also offers rewarding promotions, including an awesome sign-up bonus of 250 Game Coins, 5 Sweeps Coins, and 600 Diamonds after registration.

5. McLuck Casino – Best for Payment Method Variety

McLuck is another new sweepstakes casino that started operations in 2023. B2Services OÜ is the company behind this site, and it allows Illinois players to play games for free using gold coins or real money prizes using sweepstake coins. Titles are from many prominent names in the industry, including NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Playson, BGaming, and Habanero. There is also an impressive Progressive Jackpot Network that promises you massive returns in virtual coins. Sign up at McLuck using our link and grab 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC after registration.

Why Our Experts Selected These Brands

Out of all the sweepstakes casinos available in IL, why did we settle for these 5? Well, we have an extensive review process to guide our choices. Our criteria cover aspects that are important to players in Illinois, including:

The sweepstakes platforms recommended in our guide above ranked better than others in these areas.

How Payments Work

One of the most important rules that an Illinois sweepstakes casino must follow to remain legal is the “No Purchase Necessary” rule. However, you can purchase more gold coins if you exhaust your free coins.

To purchase a gold coin package, click on the buy more gold coins button, usually on the screen’s left side. After clicking this button, you’ll be provided with different coin packages. For instance, the image below shows some of the available packages on WOW Vegas.

Once you click on your preferred option, simply choose your ideal payment method, enter your details, and you’ll be credited with your gold coins + free sweeps coins. Some common payment methods include Visa, AMEX, Mastercard, Skrill, Bank Transfers, Trustly, and PayPal. For security reasons, most sweepstakes casinos will require you to verify your identity before making a purchase.

Note that this only applies to gold coins since they have no monetary value and can’t be redeemed for cash. You always get the sweeps coins for free as a bonus or after you purchase a gold coin package.

Can you win real money playing sweepstakes casino games?

It is possible to win real money prizes playing sweepstakes casino games by redeeming your sweepstakes coins. As mentioned earlier, sweeps coins are the premium coins you can’t purchase on sweepstakes sites. You get them for free, and after you have fulfilled the playthrough requirement of at least 1x, you can redeem them for cash prizes.

In most cases, you’ll need to accumulate between 50 and 100 sweeps coins before redeeming them. What’s more, 1 SC is usually equivalent to $1. If you have fulfilled the requirements, simply head to the cashier and click “Cash Redemptions.” Then, enter the amount of SC you want to withdraw, not less than the amount stated on the site. You’ll be provided with a list of payment options to choose from and enter your details. After completing this, you may need to wait 1 – 7 business days for the payment to reflect – depending on the platform.

Your Gaming Options at Illinois Sweepstakes Casinos

Illinois sweepstakes casinos provide games similar to what you’ll find in traditional online casinos. While the options may differ depending on where you choose to play, they usually hover around the following:

Some sweepstakes casinos will offer games from popular software developers like NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Betsoft, Relax Gaming, and Habanero. In other cases, the titles may be powered in-house to offer you a unique experience.

Bonuses and Promotions at Illinois Online Casinos

You’ll find many promotions and bonuses in Illinois sweepstakes casinos. While they share some similarities with standard online casinos, they follow the “No Purchase Necessary” rule.

As a result, you can theoretically get gold coins and sweeps coins for free without spending any cash. Keep reading as we uncover the most common promotions on sweepstakes casinos:

As you can observe from the bonuses above, sweepstakes casinos focus on offering free coins instead of cash. These gold coins have no monetary value; you can only use them to play games and win more free gold coins. This helps them remain within the confines of the sweepstakes law, unlike real-money casinos that offer cash bonus offers. On the other hand, the SC you get ensure you stand a chance to win prizes when playing the featured games at IL sweeps casinos.

Comparison of the Best Illinois Casinos with Real Cash Prizes

Aspects in Favor and Against Sweepstakes Casinos in Illinois

One of the main benefits of playing on sweepstakes casinos is that there is no purchase necessary. But there are also many other benefits, including the fact that they are legal in most US states and offer numerous bonuses.

While these are awesome, sweeps casinos also come with some downsides. We recommend you properly evaluate the benefits and drawbacks before you sign up on a gaming site. To make your choice easier, we have listed both below:

Other Gambling Options for Illinois Players

Illinois players have many other gambling options aside from sweepstakes casinos. In June 2020, online sports betting kicked off in the Prairie State, with BetRivers sportsbook first launching here. Now, other sports betting sites have launched in the state, including DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM, and FanDuel.

If you rather play offline, you can visit any of the Riverboat casinos available in the state. There are 11 locations in Illinois, many offering casino games and retail sports. In addition to riverboat casinos, Illinois features many Video Lottery Terminals, daily fantasy sports, horse race betting through the TVG racing site, and online horse betting via numerous platforms.

There is no news regarding online casinos becoming legal in IL at the moment. Since the Senate Executive Committee failed to act on the SB 1656 and HB 3142 bills, the process has come to a halt. We hope that this will change in the future and will surely update you when it happens.