Lawmakers Move to Scrap Illinois Per-Bet Tax
HighlightsÂ
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Lawmakers to end the pre-wager tax on online sports betting starting from 1st July 2026.Â
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The number of bets placed in Illinois has decreased since the pre-wager tax came into effect on 1 July 2025.
Rep. Daniel Didech, on 10th February, filed House Bill 5143 to end the state’s per-wager tax on users placing bets with licensed operators, effective from 1st July 2026. The bill amends Section 25-90 of the Illinois Sports Wagering Act and would be implemented upon approval.
As per the current law, starting from 1 July 2024. Licensed operators must pay a 20% tax on adjusted gross receipts up to $30 million, and the rate increases to 40% for receipts above $200 million. Retail sportsbooks are no exception to this framework.
But since the 1st July 2025, the day the per-wager tax amendment was implemented. It has become a mandate for online sports betting software to pay an extra $0.25 on each of the first 20 million wagers, and beyond that, it scales up to $0.50 per wager. This law applies to players wagering online or via a mobile application.Â
However, many players and operators were unsatisfied with this new scheme in place. A recent study showed a 15.4% decrease in sports bets placed in the state.Â
For more details, Refer Here!
As per the current law, starting from 1 July 2024. Licensed operators must pay a 20% tax on adjusted gross receipts up to $30 million, and the rate increases to 40% for receipts above $200 million. Retail sportsbooks are no exception to this framework.
But since the 1st July 2025, the day the per-wager tax amendment was implemented. It has become a mandate for online sports betting software to pay an extra $0.25 on each of the first 20 million wagers, and beyond that, it scales up to $0.50 per wager. This law applies to players wagering online or via a mobile application.Â
However, many players and operators were unsatisfied with this new scheme in place. A recent study showed a 15.4% decrease in sports bets placed in the state.Â
For more details, Refer Here!
