Illinois to Prohibit Credit Card Transactions in Sports Betting Actions

An Alternative Take:

Illinois takes a hardline stance against credit card gambling, planning to extend the current ban to sports betting. The Illinois Gaming Board, responsible for regulating gambling in the state, overwhelmingly endorsed this move last week.

The New Initiative: Credit Card Ban in Sports Gambling

Recognizing the need for improvements in consumer protection, the Board decided to extend the existing regulations on sports gambling. Marcus Fruchter, the Board's Administrator, highlighted that this measure promotes responsible gambling, aiming to minimize potential risks, especially for compulsive gamblers.

"Gambling addicts are at considerable risk, and studies indicate that they're more likely to use credit cards to place bets."

Initially, Illinois allowed credit card usage when sports gambling was introduced. However, most other states that regulated sports gambling at the time did not impose such restrictions. As credit card bans often result in reduced spending, the industry will need to adapt to this new reality.

The proposal is yet to be finalized, awaiting submission to the Illinois Secretary of State's Index Department. After a 45-day public consultation period, the Illinois Register will take further action.

A Global Trend: Credit Card Prohibition in Gambling

Illinois isn't alone in this crackdown on credit card gambling. Jurisdictions worldwide, including Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have enacted similar bans for sports, casino, and online gambling, recognizing the link between credit card use and enhanced gambling-related harm.

Some European countries, like Sweden, have even banned credit-based payments for online gambling. Meanwhile, the European Court of Justice is considering a case that could shape iGaming regulations across the continent.

In the United States, six states—Massachusetts, Iowa, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire—already prohibit credit cards for sports betting, while Illinois has a previous ban on credit cards for casinos and video gaming.

Meanwhile, in Kenya, although there's no explicit ban on credit cards for gambling, recent measures such as a 30-day gambling advertising ban and the establishment of a multi-agency task force suggest a focus on consumer protection. Credit-related restrictions could be a logical next step in their efforts.

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Enrichment:Several jurisdictions, both in Europe and the United States, have implemented or proposed bans on credit cards for gambling transactions, targeting problem gambling and financial harm reduction. Notably, Sweden implemented a credit card gambling prohibition in April 2025, specifically banning credit-based payments for online gambling. The European Court of Justice is currently evaluating a case that could reshape iGaming regulations continent-wide, though no pan-European credit card ban exists yet. In the United States, Illinois already prohibits credit cards for casino and video gaming, with a proposed expansion to sports betting. Six states—Massachusetts, Iowa, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire—already ban credit cards for sports betting specifically. No other jurisdictions with explicit credit card gambling bans are directly cited in the provided sources, though the Illinois Gaming Board cites growing global momentum for such measures based on harm-reduction research.

The Illinois Gaming Board, responsible for regulating gambling in the state, has agreed to extend the existing regulations on sports gambling, aiming to promote responsible gambling and minimize potential risks, especially for compulsive gamblers.
Marcus Fruchter, the Board's Administrator, emphasized that the credit card ban in sports gambling targets gambling addicts who are at considerable risk and, according to studies, are more likely to use credit cards to place bets.
After a 45-day public consultation period and the completion of the proposal submission to the Illinois Secretary of State's Index Department, the Illinois Register will take further action.
Illinois isn't alone in this crackdown on credit card gambling, as jurisdictions worldwide, including Brazil, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Sweden, have enacted similar bans for sports, casino, and online gambling.
The United States, specifically states like Massachusetts, Iowa, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire, already prohibit credit cards for sports betting, while Illinois has a previous ban on credit cards for casinos and video gaming.
Europe, too, has seen similar measures, with some countries like Sweden banning credit-based payments for online gambling, and the European Court of Justice considering a case that could shape iGaming regulations continent-wide.
In response to growing global momentum for credit-related restrictions, jurisdictions are targeting consumer protection, such as Kenya's recent measures like a 30-day gambling advertising ban and the establishment of a multi-agency task force, suggesting a potential next step in credit-related restrictions.