Caesars to Charge $0.25 per Wager in Illinois
Caesars Sportsbook will start charging Illinois residents a $0.25 tax on every wager, effective September 1, 2025, following the passage of House Bill 1928 by the Illinois General Assembly on May 31, 2025. The new legislation imposes a tiered tax structure on sports betting operators, starting with a $0.25 fee for the first 20 million bets accepted, and increasing to $0.50 thereafter.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Caesars’ decision to start at the $0.25 rate reflects its current betting volume, which has not yet reached the 20 million bet threshold outlined in the legislation. An official statement from the company read: “Following the decision made by the Illinois General Assembly on May 31, 2025, a $0.25 wager tax has been applied to each online sports wager placed in the State of Illinois. Effective September 1, 2025, this $0.25 wager tax will be applied to each online wager placed on Caesars Sportsbook. The change will apply to all cash bet types and include profit boost wagers, however, bonus bets and bets placed with Reward Credits will be excluded.
“Any wager voided or cancelled will have the tax refunded with the bet stake. Any wager placed in-person (over the counter or on a retail betting kiosk) at Caesars Sportsbooks in Illinois at Grand Victoria Casino Elgin, Harrah’s Joliet or Harrah’s Metropolis, will not have a tax applied.”
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Sportsbooks Adapt to Illinois' Tax Structure
The move mirrors actions by other major sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics in the jurisdiction as Illinois seeks to increase revenue from its robust sports betting market. DraftKings and FanDuel, expecting to surpass the 20 million bet mark, will implement a $0.50 per-wager tax, while Fanatics plans to introduce a $0.25 tax in fall 2025.
BetMGM, BetRivers, Circa Sports, ESPN Bet, and Hard Rock Bet have announced minimum bet requirements ranging from $1 (BetRivers) to $10 (Circa Sports).
These measures aim to distribute the tax burden over fewer, higher-value bets, preserving profitability in Illinois’ competitive market. The state’s sports betting handle, which hit $216.4 million in February 2025 and $168.1 million in June 2025, underscores the market’s scale and the financial stakes involved.
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