Illinois Gambling Revenue and Sports Betting in June

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Wed Aug 26, 2026, 8:00 am ET

Read Time: 3 minutes

Illinois Gambling Revenue and Sports Betting in June

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Illinois gambling activity delivered mixed results in June 2026. Sports betting handle surged, while sportsbook revenue declined sharply. At the same time, commercial casinos posted another year-over-year revenue increase.

The Illinois Gaming Board's (IGB) monthly reports provide the underlying figures for the state's sports wagering and casino markets. The reports show how major sporting events boosted betting activity during the month.

Illinois Sports Betting Handle Reaches $1.14 Billion

Illinois sportsbooks generated $1.14 billion in wagers during June. The total increased 20% from June 2025. The result also ended a four-month streak of year-over-year handle declines. Furthermore, June marked Illinois' 10th consecutive month with more than $1 billion in wagers.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup played an important role in that growth. The tournament's group stage coincided with June's NBA Finals and other major sporting events.

As a result, bettors placed 10.5 million wagers during the month. That figure increased from 9.4 million bets in June 2025.

The surge also benefited US online sportsbooks operating in Illinois. DraftKings led the market with $433.4 million in June handle.

FanDuel followed with $309.9 million, while Fanatics Sportsbook reached $100.6 million. BetMGM, bet365, and BetRivers also recorded substantial wagering volumes.

Sportsbook Revenue Falls Despite Higher Handle

Higher wagering activity did not translate into higher sportsbook revenue. Illinois operators generated $90.9 million in adjusted revenue during June.

That figure fell 21.2% from the same month last year. It also represented the first time since June 2025 that monthly revenue fell below $100 million.

The decline stemmed largely from a weaker sportsbook hold. Operators retained just 8% of wagers as revenue during June.

That represented the lowest hold since September 2025. Bettors enjoyed a particularly strong month, including during the World Cup.

DraftKings generated $32.8 million in adjusted revenue despite leading the market in handle. FanDuel produced $28.9 million from its $309.9 million handle.

BetMGM was the notable exception among leading operators. It increased both its handle and adjusted revenue compared with June 2025.

Illinois collected $43.3 million from sports betting during June. The per-wager tax contributed $10.5 million to that total.

Commercial Casinos Deliver Stronger Revenue Growth

Illinois commercial casinos produced a stronger revenue performance in June. The properties generated $173.6 million in adjusted gross revenue.

That represented a 9.1% increase from June 2025. Casino revenue declined from May's $192.8 million, but the annual comparison remained positive.

Slot machines accounted for $132.4 million of June's casino revenue. Their revenue increased 8.8% year over year.

Table games generated another $41.2 million. That figure represented a 10% increase from the previous year.

Rivers Casino remained Illinois' highest-grossing property during the month. It generated $44 million in revenue, representing a 9.2% increase.

Wind Creek followed with $20.5 million, while Hard Rock Casino Rockford generated $12.9 million. Grand Victoria and Hollywood Casino Joliet recorded $12.6 million and $12 million, respectively.

Hollywood Casino Joliet posted the largest year-over-year increase at 75.2%. Fairmount Park followed with a 70.4% increase after expanding its offerings.

Meanwhile, Harrah's Metropolis recorded the largest decline. Its revenue fell 13.9% to $3.9 million.

Illinois Gambling Market Shows Contrasting Trends

June highlighted an important split across Illinois gambling. Sports betting attracted significantly more wagering activity during the World Cup.

Nevertheless, sportsbooks earned less because bettors performed strongly. Commercial casinos followed a different path and increased revenue across both major gaming categories.

The results also reinforce the importance of major sporting events for Illinois' betting market. The World Cup helped reverse recent handle declines and pushed wagering back above $1 billion.

At the same time, the casino market continued generating steady revenue growth. Therefore, Illinois entered the second half of 2026 with strong activity across its regulated gambling sectors.

The IGB's monthly reports remain the primary reference for the state's sports wagering and commercial casino figures.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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