Is DFS legal in Illinois?
- Salary-cap DFS
- Legal and licensed by the state
- Pick'em
- Peer-to-peer only
- Minimum age
- 21+
- Sites available
- 10
The law in Illinois
DraftKings and FanDuel both offer salary-cap DFS in Illinois. A 2026 law requires a Gaming Board license and sets a 21+ age, but operators already in the market can keep running until 90 days after the Board's rules take effect, and those rules haven't been filed yet. Some operators' terms still show 18+ in the meantime. The law excludes contests played against the operator, so pick'em is available only in peer-to-peer form, from PrizePicks, Underdog, Sleeper, Betr and Dabble.
Regulator: Illinois Gaming Board.
Recent changes: February 2025: the Gaming Board sent cease-and-desist letters to ParlayPlay, Drafters and Chalkboard, saying their single-player pick'em contests were illegal sports wagering. June 2026: SB 3019 (Public Act 104-468) created fantasy operator licensing, a 21+ minimum age and a 15% tax on fantasy receipts from July 1, and excluded contests played against the operator.
Read the law yourself
- 230 ILCS 45/25-120.3 (fantasy contest operator license)Statute
- 230 ILCS 45/25-120.4 (conduct of fantasy contests; 21+)Statute
- 230 ILCS 45/25-120.1 (definition, which excludes contests against the operator)Statute
- Illinois Gaming Board cease-and-desist letter to ParlayPlay (February 2025)Enforcement action
- Dew-Becker v. Wu (Illinois Supreme Court, 2020): head-to-head DFS is predominantly skillCourt ruling
Sites you can play in Illinois
Salary cap, Best ball
NFLCFBNBACBB+9States 44Min deposit $5New customers get 2 tickets to play free in NFL and NBA contests with a first deposit of $5 or more
Salary cap, Best ball
NFLCFBNBACBB+7States 44Min deposit —No current offer listed
Peer-to-peer pick'em, Pools, Prediction market
NFLCFBNBACBB+2States 40Min deposit $10No current offer listed
Peer-to-peer pick'em, Prediction market
NFLCFBNBACBB+5States 37Min deposit $10New users who play a first $5 lineup get $150 in bonus lineups if it wins, plus $25 in bonus packs after buying a first $5 pack
Peer-to-peer pick'em
NFLCFBNBACBB+9States 35Min deposit —No current offer listed
Pick'em, Peer-to-peer pick'em, Best ball, Prediction market
NFLCFBNBACBB+7States 35Min deposit $10New customers play $5, get $50 instantly; sign up with code UDPROMO (Underdog's App Store listing instead advertises a Gimme Pick plus up to $1,000 in bonus funds on a first deposit)
Pick'em, Peer-to-peer pick'em, Sweepstakes, Prediction market
NFLCFBNBACBB+6States 34Min deposit $10No current offer listed
Pick'em, Peer-to-peer pick'em
NFLCFBNBACBB+10States 32Min deposit —Place a $10 real-money entry and get $20 in Bonus Cash (offer runs Oct 8-Dec 31, 2026)
Pick'em, Peer-to-peer pick'em
NFLCFBNBAWNBA+10States 32Min deposit $10$5 free entry on sign-up plus a 100% first-deposit match up to $100 in promo funds (promo funds expire after 7 days)
Peer-to-peer pick'em, Prediction market, Season-long, Pools
NFLCFBNBACBB+9States 31Min deposit —100% match on first Player Picks deposit, up to $100
Sports prediction markets in Illinois
These exchanges are regulated federally by the CFTC rather than by the state, and several states are fighting them in court, so availability can change quickly. See the tracker for the latest rulings.
Prediction market
NFLCFBNBACBB+6States 48Min deposit $10No current offer listed
Illinois DFS questions
Is daily fantasy legal in Illinois?
Yes. Daily fantasy sports are legal in Illinois and licensed by the state. DraftKings and FanDuel both offer salary-cap DFS in Illinois. A 2026 law requires a Gaming Board license and sets a 21+ age, but operators already in the market can keep running until 90 days after the Board's rules take effect, and those rules haven't been filed yet. Some operators' terms still show 18+ in the meantime. The law excludes contests played against the operator, so pick'em is available only in peer-to-peer form, from PrizePicks, Underdog, Sleeper, Betr and Dabble.
Is PrizePicks or Underdog legal in Illinois?
Pick'em in Illinois: peer-to-peer only. PrizePicks accepts players here, and Underdog does too. Products can differ by state, so check the app.
How old do you have to be to play DFS in Illinois?
21 years old.
Which DFS sites can I use in Illinois?
As of our last check: DraftKings, FanDuel, Splash Sports, PrizePicks, DraftKings Pick6, Underdog, Betr Picks, Dabble, ParlayPlay and Sleeper.
Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
Yes, Illinois has legal sports betting. DFS and sports betting are regulated separately.
Sources and corrections
Last checked Nov 2, 2026. We build every state page from the sources below and recheck them regularly. Laws and operator availability change; confirm in the app before you play.
This page summarizes public information and is not legal advice. Confidence in this summary: medium.