History
As with many states in the country, Illinois has a long history with gambling. Nowadays, the lottery, casinos and sports betting are all legal in the state. Take a look below to see some of the key dates in the history of gambling in Illinois.
The first riverboat casino in Illinois opened in 1991.
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1800s
Illinois has a large problem with unlicensed riverboat casinos and the clientele they attract. Gambling is eventually banned altogether in the state.
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1927
Pari-mutuel betting is legalized in Illinois.
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1975
Illinois becomes the first state in the country to introduce a lottery.
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1990
The Riverboat Casino Act is passed, legalizing riverboat casinos. These casinos had to be moving along a waterway in order to legally operate.
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1991
The first riverboat casino opened.
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1999
A change to the law means that casinos no longer need to be on moving riverboats.
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2019
Sports betting is legalized in Illinois, both online and offline. Both forms of sports betting began in 2020.