In the years since the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shut down Illinois casinos, video gambling terminals, horse racing and professional sports — just days after legal sports betting went live — the state’s gambling industry has seen an explosion in growth.
Even the state lottery, which was launched 50 years ago, has experienced an expansion in recent years after a decade of stagnation. Total state tax revenues from all sources of wagering in Illinois, including the lottery, surpassed $2 billion in the last fiscal year.
Against this backdrop, some lawmakers are pushing for Illinois to join eight other states that have legalized internet gambling, also known as iGaming.
