The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) is banning the use of credit cards to fund sports betting accounts in efforts to further support responsible gambling. When legal sports wagering launched in Illinois in March 2020, sports wagering was authorized in 13 other states, and none prohibited the use of credit cards to fund accounts.
Six States Have Banned Credit Card Use
As of April 2025, sports betting is legal in 40 states. Six states, including Massachusetts and nearby Iowa and Tennessee, have already banned credit card use. The IGB staff is “reviewing current sports waging practices and rules to measure effectiveness and identify potential areas for adjustment,” according to the Board.
“As part of our review, we determined that prohibiting the use of credit cards to fund sports wagering accounts is a justified and impactful advancement in Illinois sports wagering,” said Illinois Gaming Board Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter.
“There is a growing body of recent research showing that restrictions on credit usage to fund wagering accounts encourages responsible gambling and mitigates the harms of compulsive gambling. Problem gamblers are particularly at risk and studies have shown an often-problematic willingness for compulsive gamblers to use credit cards to place bets.”
IGB Adopted Two Other New Rules
Existing IGB rules ban credit card use for casino and video gaming wagers. The IGB also adopted two additional new rules at its April meeting that would:
- Permit cashless wagering in all 17 Illinois casinos – The proposed amendments to current Casino Rule 3000.600 would allow casino patrons to use a digital casino account or wallet to wager, withdraw electronic credits, fund wagers, and cashout remaining credits. Cashless wagering accounts would be subject to IGB requirements including the credit card ban, Self-Exclusion Program controls, age restrictions, and anti-money laundering safeguards.
- Record Retention Requirements for Video Gaming Sales Agents – The proposed amendment to Video Gaming Rule 1800.265 would impose record keeping requirements on video gaming sales agents and brokers consistent with the record retention requirements for other licensees. The new rule introduces additional controls and compliance mechanisms for sales agent activities.
The IGB’s adopted rules are now headed to the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) for the public comment and approval process.
“These new rules are the product of the IGB’s ongoing work to identify and evaluate potential rules, procedures and practices for either modification or adoption to best accommodate changes in gaming and ensure that Illinois maintains high levels of ethics, innovation, competition, integrity, compliance, safety, and success,” added Administrator Fruchter.
The IGB also reminds Illinois patrons to avoid unregulated online and retail gambling operators including sweepstakes casinos and offshore operators that may offer slot machines, casino games, and sports betting.
Further reading:
Jose is an iGaming analyst with wide experience within the sector. He has been working as content writer on casino and betting websites for more than 10 years, contributing on websites like Pokerlistings, Casinobee, Betpack among others, sharing his insights and perspective for the future ofthe iGaming market.
