Self-exclusion in Illinois
How to put yourself on Illinois's self-exclusion list, what it covers, and what it does not.
2 of 11 things on this page could not be confirmed from an official source. They are marked, and each one says who to ask. We would rather leave a gap than fill it with a guess.
- Programme
- Illinois Gaming Board Self-Exclusion Program (SEP), also styled the 'Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program for Problem Gamblers'igb.illinois.gov, checked 3 October 2026
- Covers online betting
- Not confirmed. Sports wagering is included in the programme — the IGB states the Sports Wagering Act 'required IGB to expand the program to include sports wagering' and that 'Individuals already on the self-exclusion list are precluded from participation in sports wagering'. But the IGB's pages nowhere state whether online or mobile sportsbook apps are covered, or how the exclusion is enforced against an online account. Do not assume your betting apps are blocked: confirm with the IGB, and close the accounts with each operator as well. Check with Illinois Gaming Board.igb.illinois.gov, checked 3 October 2026
- Covers casinos and shops
- Yes. The programme 'allows individuals who have determined they are problem gamblers to exclude themselves from all Illinois casinos', and was expanded in 2019 to include sports wagering.igb.illinois.gov, checked 3 October 2026
- Covers the lottery
- Not confirmed. The IGB's self-exclusion pages do not mention the Illinois Lottery, which is run by a separate agency, and they do not mention video gaming terminals in bars and truck stops either. Both are significant gaps in a state with widespread video gaming, but the pages are silent rather than explicit, so we cannot state the position. Ask the IGB and the Illinois Lottery. Check with Illinois Gaming Board.igb.illinois.gov, checked 3 October 2026
- How long you can choose
- There is no choice of length and no short option: 'The Illinois Self-Exclusion Program is for a mandatory minimum of five years.' The exclusion then continues until you successfully apply to be removed.igb.illinois.gov, checked 3 October 2026
- Can it be undone
- Only after five years, and only with clinical sign-off. 'To be removed from the Self-Exclusion List, a Self-Excluded person must provide an affidavit or letter from a licensed mental health professional who is also a certified gambling addictions counselor or a psychiatrist', attesting that the person 'no longer is a problem gambler and can gamble responsibly'. The applicant must also supply documentation of treatment received, identification, a statement about any casino visits while excluded, a liability waiver and 'a verified, written consent to the release of all the person's medical and counseling records'. The IGB Administrator decides and may investigate further, so removal is not automatic even with the affidavit.igb.illinois.gov, checked 3 October 2026
- What happens when it ends
- Not confirmed. We could not confirm this from an official source. Check with Illinois Gaming Board.
- How you sign up
- In person only, and no notary. 'Persons must enroll in the Self-Exclusion Program in person at various sanctioned enrollment sites throughout the state.' Bring a valid driver's licence or state-issued identification card. There is no fee. An appointment is not necessary to enroll at an IGB office located at a casino; otherwise the IGB asks you to call the nearest enrollment site to schedule one. Allow about 30 to 45 minutes.igb.illinois.gov, checked 3 October 2026
Worth knowing before you start
Illinois is the strictest of these ten states on the way out and the most awkward on the way in. There is no one-year option: the minimum is five years, and leaving requires a certified gambling addictions counsellor or psychiatrist to put in writing that you can gamble responsibly, plus release of all your medical and counselling records. Enrolment is in person at a sanctioned site, with no postal or online route on the IGB's published page. The IGB also states that enrollees are excluded from casinos owned by Caesars Entertainment, Boyd Gaming, Penn National Gaming and MGM nationwide, which reaches well beyond Illinois.
Done? The rest of the hour: blockers, a bank block, closing the accounts, telling one person.
Every fact on this page was read from an official source and dated. The oldest of them was checked on 3 October 2026. Tell us if something here is wrong.