High5Casino — 700 GC + 55 SC + 400 Diamonds Free
CasinoClick — 100,000 GC + 2 SC Free
Spree — 1,000,000 GC + 2.5 SC FreeIllinois SB1705 Sweepstakes Felony Bill — Current Status April 2026
Illinois SB1705 is a live legislative threat to sweepstakes casino operators in Illinois. Introduced by Senator Bill Cunningham, SB1705 would reclassify operating an unlicensed sweepstakes casino as a Class 4 felony under Illinois law. As of April 2026, the bill is technically alive as a carryover from the 2025 session — it was re-referred to the Senate Assignments Committee and was not voted down. A committee vote is anticipated before the end of April 2026, ahead of the General Assembly session close in May. This page tracks the bill's current status, what it would mean for players and operators, and what you should do now.
⚠️ April 2026 Legislative Alert: SB1705 is advancing toward a committee vote expected before April 30, 2026. Separately, Stake.us has announced it will exit Illinois by May 19, 2026 — becoming the first major sweepstakes casino to comply with the IGB's enforcement campaign. Only 2 of 65 targeted operators have complied with cease-and-desist orders as of April 2026.
Current Status: April 2026
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Bill name | SB1705 |
| Sponsor | Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) |
| Session | 104th General Assembly (2025-2026) |
| Last action | Re-referred to Senate Assignments Committee (Rule 3-9(a)) |
| Current position | Alive — carryover bill; not voted down |
| Expected next action | Committee vote anticipated before end of April 2026 |
| Session close deadline | May 31, 2026 |
| If passed | Unlicensed sweepstakes casino operation = Class 4 felony |
Key context: Illinois operates on a two-year legislative cycle. Bills introduced in 2025 that were not voted down carry into 2026. SB1705 was introduced on February 5, 2025, and re-referred to committee. It remains actionable in 2026. The deadline for new bill introductions was February 6, 2026 — meaning SB1705 is the primary vehicle for sweepstakes legislation this session.
Source: Illinois General Assembly bill status page (ILGA.gov), verified April 2026; BrightSideOfNews.com, reporting committee vote expected before end of April 2026.
What Does SB1705 Actually Say?
SB1705 amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to expand the definition of "gambling device" to include:
"Any vending or other electronic machine or device...that offers a person entry into any contest, competition, sweepstakes, scheme, plan, or other selection process that involves or is dependent upon an element of chance for which the person may receive a gift, award, or other item or service of value if that offer is incidental to or results from: (A) the purchase of an item or service of value; or (B) the purchase or gratuitous receipt of a coupon, voucher, certificate, or other similar credit."
In plain English: if SB1705 passes, operating a sweepstakes casino platform in Illinois — where GC purchases are accompanied by SC awards — would meet the definition of operating a "gambling device," making the operation illegal without an Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) license.
Criminal penalty: Class 4 felony in Illinois carries 1-3 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $25,000 per conviction. This is not a civil penalty or fine — it would be a criminal charge.
The IGB's Enforcement Campaign: 65 C&D Letters, 2 Complied
Even before SB1705 passes — or fails — the Illinois Gaming Board has already acted.
On February 5, 2026, the IGB issued 65 cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes casino operators, ordering them to stop serving Illinois residents. The IGB cited existing Illinois gambling statutes as its enforcement basis.
Current compliance results (as of April 2026): 2 out of 65 — a 3% compliance rate. Jumbo 88 and JefeBet updated their terms to restrict Illinois players. Rolling Riches also added Illinois to restricted states.
The notable exception: Stake.us. In a significant development, Stake.us announced it will exit Illinois by May 19, 2026 — placing Illinois accounts into "Redeem Only" mode starting that date. Stake.us becomes the first major sweepstakes casino brand to comply with the IGB's enforcement campaign, following the C&D pressure and the looming SB1705 criminal liability threat. Illinois players with Stake.us accounts should redeem any remaining Sweeps Coins before May 19.
Major platforms that received C&D orders and have NOT yet complied as of April 2026: Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, Modo, WOW Vegas, Fortune Coins, McLuck — among many others. These operators appear to be holding out pending the SB1705 vote outcome.
Source: Gambling Insider / Gaming America, "Illinois Sweepstakes Crackdown: Only 2 of 65 Operators Comply," February 17, 2026; iGamingFuture.com, "Stake.us Is Leaving Illinois," April 2026.
Why SB1705 Matters: Illinois Is a Two-Year Bill Environment
A critical nuance that many sites reporting on SB1705 have missed: Illinois's two-year legislative session means SB1705 did not die at the end of 2025. The deadline for new bill introductions in 2026 was February 6, 2026. No new standalone sweepstakes prohibition bill was introduced before that deadline. SB1705 — already in the pipeline — is therefore the primary legislative vehicle for sweepstakes prohibition this session.
The Illinois General Assembly's spring session typically closes around May 31, 2026. SB1705 must be voted on before then or it expires at the end of the 104th General Assembly. The expected committee vote before end of April narrows that window to weeks, not months.
Three possible outcomes:
- SB1705 passes — sweepstakes casino operation becomes a Class 4 felony. Operators face criminal liability; most would exit Illinois immediately. The IGB's enforcement posture would gain full legal teeth.
- SB1705 fails or is tabled — the bill dies, and sweepstakes operators continue under the IGB's less effective C&D-only enforcement posture.
- SB1705 is amended — could emerge with reduced penalties, a licensing pathway, or a carve-out for certain sweepstakes formats.
Which Operators Are Still Active in Illinois?
With Stake.us set to exit on May 19, 2026, and only 2 of 65 having complied with C&D orders, the majority of sweepstakes platforms currently still serve Illinois players. As of April 2026, platforms that have NOT restricted Illinois include: Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, WOW Vegas, Fortune Coins, High5Casino, McLuck, Modo.us, Sportzino, Jackpota, Legendz, and most smaller operators.
If SB1705 passes in its current form, every unlicensed sweepstakes casino platform operating in Illinois would face criminal exposure. There is no IGB sweepstakes casino license category — the IGB licenses real-money casino operators, not sweepstakes platforms. The bill does not create a licensing pathway; it creates a prohibition with criminal consequence.
Operators likely to exit rapidly if SB1705 passes: any large operator with identifiable US corporate officers who would face personal felony risk — this includes VGW Group (Chumba/LuckyLand), which has already been through regulatory fights in other states.
Sports betting operators are NOT affected. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, BetRivers, bet365, Hard Rock Bet, and other IGB-licensed sportsbooks operate under a separate legal framework (the Sports Wagering Act, 2020). SB1705 targets sweepstakes casino platforms, not licensed sportsbooks or DFS operators.
What Should Illinois Players Do Now?
If you have accounts on Stake.us: Redeem any Sweeps Coins before May 19, 2026. After that date, Illinois accounts will shift to Redeem Only mode — you may still be able to redeem but won't be able to play.
If you have Sweeps Coins on any other platform: Don't wait for legislation to pass. Redeem your SC now if you have enough to meet the platform's minimum threshold. If SB1705 passes and platforms exit Illinois abruptly, redemption timelines and access could be disrupted.
If you're considering joining a sweepstakes platform: Understand the legislative risk. Illinois is one of the highest-risk states for sweepstakes casino access in 2026. Opening accounts and making GC purchases on platforms that may exit the market creates uncertainty around your balance.
The IGB's posture is already enforcement-mode: Even if SB1705 fails, the IGB's 65 C&D letters signal an active enforcement posture. Stake.us's exit demonstrates that the enforcement is producing results.
Legal sports betting is unaffected: If you want legal regulated online gambling in Illinois, DraftKings, FanDuel, and the other licensed IL sportsbooks are operating normally.
Illinois's Sweepstakes Enforcement in National Context
Illinois is not alone in its hostile posture, but its enforcement intensity is notable:
| State | C&D Letters | Legislation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 65 (Feb 2026) | SB1705 — felony bill | Committee vote pending April 2026 |
| Arizona | Multiple C&D waves (2025) | ADG enforcement, no new bill | Active enforcement |
| Maryland | 75+ C&D letters | Ban bill failed; monitoring | Monitoring |
| New Jersey | N/A | A5447 — complete ban | Already law |
| Georgia | 0 | No legislation | Fully legal |
| Florida | 0 | SB 1580 + HB 189 both failed | Fully legal for 2026 |
Illinois's combination of high C&D volume, a pending felony bill, AND a major operator (Stake.us) exiting makes it the most acute near-term risk for sweepstakes players in the US outside of New Jersey, where the ban is already law.
Editorial Perspective: What Stake.us's Exit Signals
Only 2 of 65 platforms complied within two weeks of the IGB's February orders — a 3% rate that suggested the enforcement campaign was failing. Stake.us's announced exit by May 19 changes that calculus. Stake.us is a major, well-funded operator with significant Illinois player base. Their exit is not the capitulation of a small operator — it signals that the combined pressure of 65 C&D orders, the IGB's stated enforcement posture, and the looming SB1705 criminal liability threat has become untenable for at least some tier-one operators.
The remaining platforms are betting that SB1705 won't pass, or that enforcement without the bill lacks criminal teeth. They may be right — but the May 31 session close means this will be resolved one way or another within weeks. The safest position for Illinois players: treat any SC balance as something to redeem now, not later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Illinois SB1705?
SB1705 is a bill introduced by Senator Bill Cunningham that would amend the Illinois Criminal Code to classify operating an unlicensed sweepstakes casino as a Class 4 felony — carrying 1-3 years imprisonment and up to a $25,000 fine.
Has SB1705 passed?
No. As of April 2026, SB1705 has not passed. It is alive as a carryover bill, re-referred to the Senate Assignments Committee. A committee vote is expected before the end of April 2026, with the full session closing May 31.
Is Stake.us still available in Illinois?
No — not for long. Stake.us has announced it will exit Illinois by May 19, 2026. Illinois accounts will move to "Redeem Only" mode. Players should redeem their SC before that date.
What did the IGB's 65 C&D letters do?
The Illinois Gaming Board issued 65 cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes operators in February 2026, ordering them to stop serving Illinois residents under existing gambling statutes. As of April 2026, only 2 of 65 platforms have fully complied — though Stake.us's announced May exit represents a major operator response.
If SB1705 passes, what happens to my sweepstakes account?
Operators would face a choice: exit Illinois or risk felony liability. Most platforms would likely restrict Illinois access immediately if the bill passes. Any unredeemed SC could become difficult to access. Redeem SC now if you have enough to meet minimum thresholds.
Does SB1705 affect DraftKings, FanDuel, or other sportsbooks?
No. Licensed Illinois sportsbooks (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, BetRivers, bet365, Hard Rock Bet, Fanatics, Circa, theScore Bet) operate under the Illinois Sports Wagering Act and are not affected by SB1705.
Which sweepstakes casinos are still active in Illinois?
As of April 2026, most major platforms (Chumba, LuckyLand, WOW Vegas, Fortune Coins, McLuck, Jackpota, Legendz, Sportzino, and many others) have NOT restricted Illinois players despite the C&D orders. Stake.us exits May 19. Only Jumbo 88, JefeBet, and Rolling Riches have proactively restricted Illinois so far.
Responsible Gambling
This article is informational about legislative developments. If you're playing on sweepstakes platforms in Illinois, be aware of the elevated regulatory risk and plan your SC redemptions accordingly.
Illinois problem gambling resources: Illinois Council on Problem Gambling — 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537).
Status current as of April 20, 2026. SB1705 legislative status may change rapidly given the expected committee vote. Monitor ILGA.gov for real-time bill updates. This is not legal advice.