Illinois Moves to Prohibit Credit-Card Gambling

State legislators in Illinois are advancing a measure to prohibit credit-card use for gambling activities.

Representatives Curtis Tarver and Marti Deuter introduced House Bill 4149 (HB 4149), aiming to prohibit credit-card use across all gambling types, including sports betting, casinos, and lottery purchases.

Furthermore, HB 4149 seeks to block ATMs from issuing cash advances on credit cards, closing a common loophole that allows gambling with borrowed funds.

If enacted, the bill would make it illegal to use credit cards for any gambling transaction, whether in-person or through online sportsbooks and online casinos.

What House Bill 4149 Is All About

HB 4149 would ban the use of credit cards to fund gambling wagers, including those placed via online platforms. The bill specifically prohibits credit-card transactions for gambling games, disallows cash advances via casino ATMs using credit cards, and bars the sale of lottery tickets on credit.

For operators of online casinos and online sportsbooks, the key tenets include:

  • No credit-card funding of accounts for wagering at online sportsbooks.
  • No credit-card funding of deposits or wagers at online casinos operating in Illinois.

The measure builds on prior regulatory action by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB), which adopted a rule in April 2025 banning credit-card deposits for sports wagering and already prohibits credit-card use for casino and video-gaming wagers.

Supporters emphasize that the bill's goal is to ensure all gambling transactions use players' own funds, minimizing debt and financial hardship.

HB 4149 has been introduced in the Illinois House of Representatives, sponsored by members of the Democratic caucus. It has drawn bipartisan interest and now moves through committee deliberations.

If passed and signed by the governor, the bill will codify the credit-card ban into statute rather than rely solely on regulatory rule-making.

Potential Impact on Online Betting

The enactment of HB 4149 could significantly alter how players access online betting and online casinos in Illinois. With credit-card funding off the table, many users of online sportsbooks may be nudged toward alternative payment methods such as ACH transfers, prepaid funding, or digital wallets.

Meanwhile, some bettors may shift to licensed online casinos optimized for other payment channels.

Another notable shift: the ban may drive some players to explore crypto casinos. Such platforms that accept cryptocurrency payments and operate outside the constraints of credit-card networks.

For individuals who still wish to engage in online betting or online casinos without credit-card limitations, crypto-enabled platforms may become a viable alternative. Of course, these sites bring their own regulatory and risk considerations.

On the other end, operators of online casinos and sportsbooks will need to update their onboarding flows, payment-processing arrangements, and responsible gambling protocols.

The IGB's regulatory momentum suggests Illinois is joining a growing list of states restricting credit-card use in wagering as part of their goal to promote responsible gambling.

HB 4149 signals a tightening of financial controls around online gambling in Illinois. It may reshape the payment landscape for dozens of online casinos and online sportsbooks operating in the state.