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Slots.LV

All players who are at least 21 years of age in the state of New Jersey can legally play real money casino games at Harrah’s Online Casino. Our online casino is fully licensed by the state and is regulated by the Division of Gaming Enforcement. Are Online Casinos Legal in Illinois? - Illinois Gambling has the initial option of Illinois Legal Online Casinos. Casino gambling is widely regarded as one of the most fun forms of gambling, and you will have many options because of the large number of online casinos.

In Depth Review and Expert Ratings

Software and Games (rating: 8/10)

Slots.LV is home to about 250 casino games developed by Rival, Realtime Gaming, Spinomenal and Revolver Gaming. They also offer exclusive slots, so if you are looking for something that you've never played before, this is the place to take a look at.

Practice Play is enabled and available even before you register. Although the site primarily caters to fans of slots, it also offers a decent choice of other casino games.

Collection of 20+ table games consists of several classic Blackjack variants as well as one with Perfect Pairs side bet, European and American Roulette, Baccarat, Caribbean Stud, Pai Gow, Caribbean Hold ‘Em, Tri Card Poker, Let ‘Em Ride, Vegas Three Card Rummy, Craps and Roll The Dice. Fans of Video Poker will find an equal number of options and get to play Jacks Or Better, Bonus Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, and other popular variants of the game. Specialties section provides access to multiple Bingo games, Keno, Sudoku and Scratch Cards. The only thing missing is Live Casino, so if you’d prefer to try your luck against a live dealer, you’ll have to look for a different venue.

Accessing the site via smartphone or tablet enables one to play 100+ mobile slots plus several table games and Video Pokers. Even when displayed on small iOS, Android or Blackberry screens, the layout hardly changes and navigating the site is as practical as on desktops.

Slots (rating: 8/10)

The majority of 200 slots are the result of Rival’s good work. If you’re a fan of horror-themed games, launch Zombiezee Money and play with spooky-looking zombies. Regular Free Spins feature expanding Wilds with a x2 multiplier and a Boneyard Bonus round which prompts you to pick a weapon to hunt down the walking dead and earn cash rewards. Zombiezee Super round, triggered within regular free spins, upgrades Wild multiplier to x3 and offers a Bunkers Bonus, another pick & click affair with instant wins.

The first out of three sequels of As The Reels Turn introduces players to the group operating El Paradiso casino. Same as other Rival iSlots, the story develops as one keeps playing and unlocking new scenes. Each time one gets unlocked, a bonus round is activated. There’ll be plenty to enjoy in meantime, including free spins with multipliers, expanding Wilds, and multiple pick & click affairs. Scary Rich serial takes place in a haunted house filled with spooky-looking characters. While blood-freezing sounds scare the heck out of visitors, players will benefit from free games with expanding Wilds and increasing multipliers, plus as many as 666 high-powered free spins.

RTG range is not so generously represented but you’ll still find some of the developer’s most popular slots, such as Aztec’s Treasures, Caesar’s Empire, Cleopatra’s Gold and Ronin. African-themed Desert Kingdom prompts you to choose a triggering Scatter to reveal number of picks which will determine the number of free spins and multiplier size, while Dirty Martini offers a lucrative Wild, re-triggerable free spins with tripled payouts, and a progressive jackpot triggered at random.

Spinomenal contributes with several interesting titles, among which Codename: Jackpot and Reel Fighters. The first will give you a taste of spy life, make Wilds expand and boost rewards by up to x5, and send reels spinning for free with a maximum multiplier of x7. Trigger the bonus round and you’ll be asked to guide the spy through deadly lasers in exchange for cash prizes; open the right safe at the end of the run and all your wins will be doubled.

GoodFishes by Revolver Gaming is a witty take on Martin Scorsese’s film Goodfellas. Gilled mobsters populate the waters surrounding New York City, protecting their territory with tommy guns and throwing rivals into a butcher shop operated by the gang. Launch the interactive bonus round and Frankie will slice the fish of your choice to reveal one of six bonus games.

Slots.LV additionally stocks proprietary titles such as Bulletproof Babes and A Night With Cleo. Players who choose to spend A Night With Cleo could benefit from up to 180 Free Spins with all payouts tripled, pick among lotus flowers to double their wins up to 5 times, and potentially collect randomly-triggered jackpot. The Mob Heist plays with five gang members capable of spreading over the entire reel and a Wild cop who’s out to get them. Having triggered the Bank Job Bonus feature, you’ll have to place dynamite to blow open a door and collect gold bars. Or not! There are five banks to rob and you could keep piling up cash if you’re willing to risk it. Cash Out button is available for those who prefer to play it safe.

If you find all of the above a bit too complicated, try one of classic fruities such as RTG’s Food Fight and Rival’s Bust-A-Vault, Chicken Little, Crazy Camel Cash and Eggstravaganza. You’ll find that as many as 50 titles feature a progressive jackpot which can make a huge difference to how you live your life and where you spend your holidays. Aztec’s Treasures and Cleopatra’s Gold are the most generous ones, the size of their jackpots likely to make your mouth water.

Welcome Bonus and Ongoing Promotions (rating: 9/10)

The operator throws a tasty hook and offers to triple your first deposit then double the next eight for up to $5,000 in bonuses. Funding your account for the very first time makes you eligible for a 200% bonus up to $1,000 (bonus code HELLOSLOTS200), and doing it 8 times more allows you to claim a 100% match up to $500 with each payment. Paying in Bitcoin can earn you as much as $7,500 in bonuses, in addition to the welcome offer mentioned above. Your first Bitcoin deposit will be matched 300% up to $1,500 (code SLBITCOIN300), and the following eight 150% up to $750 each (code SLBITCOIN150).

Credited bonus amount is withdrawal, same as your deposit and the resulting winnings, but you’ll first need to wager bonus and deposit amounts a minimum of 35 times. Slots and specialty games contribute 100%, most Blackjack variants and Video Poker games 10%, Roulette and Baccarat 5%, and all other table games 20% (except for Craps which doesn’t contribute at all).

The Weekly Double Up consists of seven weekly 100% match bonuses up to $100, and Refer & Earn scheme offers to pay double the first deposit of a referred friend up to $200. A $10 Facebook Freebie is available to players who “like” the Casino’s Facebook page, “share” its profile picture, and send Slots.LV a Facebook message with the email address used when signing up. This no-deposit bonus is subject to a 100x play-through and a max withdrawal of $125.

MySlots Rewards is a loyalty program which lets you earn Rewards Points redeemable for cash bonuses with rollover of x10. You’ll also receive daily cashbacks (rollover x1) and a few additional perks. At the same time you’ll be stashing Tier points which are cumulative and used to track your progress up 8 levels loyalty. As you’re climbing up, redemption rate improves and cashback percentage gets higher. The Casino will occasionally add match and other bonuses and is planning to further evolve their loyalty scheme by adding exclusive promotions.

Deposits and Withdrawals (rating: 8/10)

American and Canadian players can fund their accounts with USD or CAD and Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Bitcoin, Direct Bank Transfer or Interac Online (the last two options available only to residents of Canada). Minimum deposit is $20, while maximum depends on chosen method and ranges between $500 (Interac) and $5,000 (Bitcoin). Withdrawals can be requested via credit card, Bitcoin, Bank Wire or Check by Courier. Bitcoin will enable you to collect as little as $20 and up to $2,000, transactions are free of charge, and payments almost instant. If you choose to cash out using Visa Debit, the first monthly withdrawal will be free and all subsequent ones incur a fee of $50. Players cashing out via Check will be charged $75 per transaction. Each withdrawal option comes with different limits, those for Bank Wire being $1,500 minimum and $2,000 maximum ($9,000 for VIP players), for Direct Bank Transfer $20 to $2,000 ($4,000 VIPs), and for Check by Courier $50 to $2,000 ($2,500 VIPs). Withdrawal requests are normally processed within 72 hours.

Security and Safety (rating: 9/10)

As far as trust goes, Slots.LV is up there with the best of them. Being owned and run by the guys that run Bodog and Bovada, there is a long-standing tradition with this company for paying out winnings and being 100% honest and up-front with their players.

That said, for one reason or another, it seems to be common practice for US-facing sites not to display information about the operator and licensing authority. That’s a shame, as this could make new (potential) player believe there’s something fishy, even when the operator is reputable and the Casino regulated as it should be.

If you read Slots.LV T&C carefully, you’ll find that it’s operated by Lynton Limited, the same company which is behind Café and Ignition casinos. To get an information about which authority keeps an eye on what’s going on, I had to contact customer support. This is the answer I got: “Slots.LV considers its online gaming services to be legal under international law and fully complies with the rules and regulations imposed by the online gaming industry.”

So, clearly the casino is operating without a 3rd-party license, but actually it is worth pointing out that in the US, unlike any other country, licences are worthless anyway. The only thing you can judge a USA online casino by is their reputation and history of treating players well.

This is an interesting one, because when it comes to treating players right, allowing cash-outs and for customer support, this casino is about as good as it gets for US players.

So, with Slots.LV you have what is the best casino, which treats players better than all the others (in the unregulated US market), but does not have a licence. The self-regulation is absolutely superb, but it is just self-regulation, which is a shame. If they had a Kahnawake licence, as they used to (before Kahnawake stopped servicing the US), it would have scored 10/10. They still get a 9, but a 10 would be better.

Customer Support (rating: 10/10)

The team has compiled a pretty long list of popular questions and answers, including those telling you how to open and manage your account, explaining bonuses and wagering requirements, and offering detailed information related to deposits and withdrawals. If any of your questions remains unanswered, customer service team will be happy to help. They work round the clock and can be contacted via Live Chat, emailed or called toll-free. Facebook is yet another option, with the Casino usually answering within 24 hours. Do note that, having launched Live Chat, you’ll be asked to provide your sign-up data, which would indicated one needs to have an account in order to receive help. When I told friendly Chenise that before registering I’d like to know which license the Casino operates with, she put me on hold “to review this information” and a few minutes later delivered the answer I shared above.

Conclusion

Slots.LV is a well-known brand within the US gaming community and the Casino delivers pretty much the maximum considering highly restrictive US legal framework. The size of their gaming catalogue is inevitably limited, but players will still find more than a few great titles to play and gamble on. At the same time, the Casino’s promotional portfolio is quite generous, and not only when it comes to staggering $12,500 in welcome bonuses. Payment section is tailored to the operator’s target market and will likely meet your expectations in terms of banking methods, transaction limits and payout speed. There is one major issue, though; having lost Kahnawake license for refusing to give up American members, Slots.LV is now operating without one. This may or may not be a deal-breaker, but if you decide you can live with it, exercise some caution.

With a population approaching 12.9 million, the “Windy City” of Chicago houses more residents than 15 US states and many of them love the idea of legal real money Internet poker in 2020. Factor in the rest of the Illinois’ populace, and at nearly 13 million people, the Prairie State is easily one of the most densely packed states in the Union, and perfectly capable of hosting a viable standalone online poker website industry.

The good news is that Illinois is on a short list of states seriously considering the merits of iGaming and real cash Internet poker gambling. Already host to ten land-based commercial casinos with poker betting card rooms and welcome to most forms of regulated legit gambling, Illinois has exhibited a strong willingness to expand its casino operation and its legal real money poker offering as well. And with the support of several key political figures, it wouldn’t be unheard of to see an IL iGaming and Internet poker bill sneak its way into consideration by the end of 2020

Home to the Windy City, Illinois gamblers may find it challenging to find a 2020 real money US poker site. Luckily, we’ve sourced top poker rooms that will gladly let you sign up for an account.
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An Illinois iGaming Bill May Be On The Cards

Quick Jump

• 2 Latest Illinois Poker News
• 3 The Facts

Although Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has spurned several previous attempts to regulate online poker and bring the people of IL lawful real money poker websites – specifying that Internet poker was too new and untested – he has exhibited a readiness to support a new poker betting and gambling bill, in so long as it meets his numerous requests ^[1].

For one, any real cash gambling expansion bill would be required to designate a portion of the revenue generated from real money poker gambling in IL that would go towards funding education. Secondly, the iGaming and Internet poker industry would not be permitted to contribute to political campaigns. The good news for Illinois betting fans is that the language of existing legal poker website proposals has since been amended in 2015 to meet Quinn’s demands.

In order to further coerce Quinn, IL Senate President John Cullerton plans on pursuing an iGaming and real money Internet poker as a standalone bill. This will allow lawmakers to examine the viability of online gaming and poker websites independently of Illinois’ other land-based gambling activities.

New Jersey’s early success in the real cash Internet gambling iGaming market may prove to be the catalyst that tips the Prairie State’s Governor Quinn over the fence and into the lawful poker websites territory poker betting fans have been hoping for. In its first four weeks, nearly 110,000 new real money gambling iGaming accounts were registered in New Jersey; a state with a population of approximately 4 million less than that of Illinois’.

Given this, it is well very possible that a new piece of online gaming and Internet poker legislation will emerge at some point as part of a package addressing the laws regarding real cash online horse betting.

Latest Illinois Poker News

Best Real Money Online Casino

Are Poker Sites Accepting Illinois Players?

Despite its leniency regarding gambling casino and real money poker betting in general, Illinois has taken a relatively strict stance against unregulated online gambling like Texas Hold’em betting at poker websites. Case in point: In 2009, the State of IL banned operators from running any sort of Internet wagering service or poker website.

Now, that doesn’t mean that those hailing from Illinois can’t play legit real cash poker on a US-facing site; they just might face a few restrictions. We have created a list of 2020‘s best US real money poker websites that are more than welcoming to the poker gambling citizens of Illinois. Why search for a poker website online when all the information you’ll ever need about legal real money Internet poker in Illinois is just a click or two away?

• U. S. Poker Site
• Compatibillity
• Editor Rating
• Deposit Bonus

• Very player friendly
• Generous cashback
• Great mobile play

Is Online Poker Legal In Illinois?

That’s a question that has confounded even the most diligent students of Illinois’ law and real cash poker players across the state. And while the Prairie State is one of only a handful that specifically addresses Internet gambling, It still makes no specific mention of online poker websites. Thus, the legality of playing online Internet poker for real money resides in a murky gray area for IL residents.

With that said, to date Illinois’ legislators have not officially passed a law that would allow iGaming and poker website providers to operate within the state’s confines.

As always, we suggest that you seek legal advice about how legal real cash poker is in Illinois if you have any questions regarding Illinois’ gambling statues. But for now, let us help you prepare for your adventures into the Internet poker world by going over the most noteworthy aspects of the law:

• As defined by Illinois’ gambling and betting law, a person commits gambling when he plays a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value. Emphasis on the word skill, as that would most certainly apply to poker both offline and at poker websites. Section 28-1(a)
• Anyone who operates, keeps, owns, uses, purchases, exhibits, rents, sells, bargain for the sale or lease of, manufactures or distributes any gambling device is also considered to be committing an act of gambling.
• Illinois is one of the few states that specifically lists circumstances in which casino and poker gambling is permitted. Namely, regulated horse betting, pari-mutuel wagering, bingo, and the lottery are all deemed legal. Gambling with real cash on one of IL’s many riverboat casinos, in so long as it’s authorized by the Riverboat Gambling Act, is also legal. Section 28-1(b)
• Violating any gambling or betting law is a Class A misdemeanor. Section 28-1(c)
• Unlike most gambling statues, Illinois’ laws have been updated to reflect the Internet gambling wagering era. Not only is the term Internet defined, but the law specifically states that it is illegal to knowingly establish, maintain or operate an Internet poker or casino website that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for real money or other thing of value by means of the Internet or to make a wager upon the result of a game, contest, political nomination, appointment, or election by means of the Internet. Section 28-1(12)
• While operating an Internet site is clearly illegal, the legality of acting as a participant by betting real money in poker gambling on an existing Internet poker website is not addressed.

For those interested in reading more about Illinois’ gambling and legal poker laws please see the “References” section ^[2].

The Facts

The History Of Gambling In Illinois

1927

1927

The first step for Illinois saw horse racing approved by the Illinois General Assembly. This gave people an opportunity to start betting on the sport and led to 6 racetracks been built up to this present day.

1971

1971

Bingo games were legalized throughout the state and have thrived ever since.

1974

1974

The Illinois lottery was introduced and the first draw took place on July 1st. The aim of the lottery was to provide an extra revenue stream for the state education fund. Unfortunately, this was a promise that could not be kept by the state and the funds were actually used for more general purposes.

1986

1986

Charity games were approved for non-profit organisations.

1991

1991

The gambling scene took an interesting turn as riverboat casinos were introduced throughout Illinois. This allowed gambling to take place during a journey on a riverboat, but not whilst the riverboats were at a standstill.

1999

1999

A Riverboat Gambling Act was signed which stated that riverboats did not have to be travelling through the water whilst gambling took place. This resulted in nearly all riverboats to stay dockside and essentially become land-based casinos.

2002

2002

Due to the rapid rise of the internet and the impact that had on society, the sale of lottery tickets was introduced online. This made Illinois the first state to begin using this platform for the state lottery.

2009-2011

2009-2011

This timeframe saw the Video Gaming Act passed and then halted from 2009 to 2011. Initially, the act passed and would result in video gambling terminals being placed in a wide variety of licensed venues. However, there were some legal challenges to attend with in regards to this area of gambling and these challenges lasted until 2011. Finally, the court challenge was defeated and the legalisation of video gambling was confirmed.

As far back as the early 1800s, Illinois, like other newly settled states, sponsored lotteries and real cash gambling as an additional revenue stream. American settlers were also inclined to enjoy betting on real money games of chance at local saloons and other establishments.

By the 1830s, Illinois had established a blossoming riverboat gaming industry where people would enjoy real money gambling on games like Texas Hold’em poker. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 would eventually put a damper on riverboat casinos, as would the increased presence of con men and other shady characters, and by the turn of the century, riverboat gambling was all but extinct.

During the Prohibition Era, gambling and betting on almost every game including real money poker had moved to the underground. Run by organized crime syndicates, gambling related activities like poker betting were often associated with violence, and in some cases, death. In response, law authorities cracked down on gambling at non lawful poker games, and by the 1960s all but a few illegal gambling halls were shut down.

In the 1930s, Illinois’ horseracing gambling industry was in full bloom. So much so, that Chicago alone inhabited six major horseracing tracks where citizens from all over IL would come to enjoy betting real money, including the world-renowned Arlington Park ^[3]. Today, Chicago is only home to three horseracing establishments.

Eventually, Illinois would loosen its anti-gambling stance, and in 1974 the Illinois Lottery was established. Real cash betting proceeds from the lottery were used to fund public education. In that respect, legit gambling proved highly successful for IL State, raising $2.1 billion annually as of 2010.

Thanks to an historic legislative piece, riverboat gambling was reintroduced into Illinois’ culture in 1990. The move was inspired by neighboring Iowa’s decision to allow riverboat casinos and real money legal poker games along the Mississippi. Under the new law, up to 10 gambling licenses could be handed out. However, none of them could exist in Cook County (Chicago). This measure was taken as a means of protecting the county’s real cash horseracing betting industry.

In 1999, an amendment to the Riverboat Gambling Act was made, stating that riverboat casinos and real cash poker rooms no longer had to cruise.

Regulated Gambling Options In Illinois

There is no dearth of gambling and real money betting options in the Land of Lincoln, including plenty of legal Texas Hold’em and other poker betting choices. In fact, the only form of gambling not regulated under state law is tribal casinos. Land-based brick and mortar casino and poker gambling facilities, pari-mutuel wagering, charitable gambling (including casino nights), horseracing and the state lottery are all permitted in IL.

Legalized online poker may certainly become a reality in Illinois, which is showing a keen interest in the financial benefits of offering licenses and collecting taxes.

The Future Of Regulated Online Gambling In Illinois

Whereas states like Pennsylvania may very well pass an iGaming Internet poker bill in the near future, the citizens of Illinois looking to get in on the real money poker action on top poker websites will likely have to wait a bit longer. IL Governor Quinn has proven a strong advocate of the wait-and-see approach to legal Internet poker, and until lawmakers prove the benefits of online gambling and poker websites, it’s unlikely that he’ll sign off on an Internet gambling bill.

However, given that both the lottery and horseracing are already online and offering residents real cash gambling options, it stands to reason that Illinois state officials, at the very least, are open to the idea of state regulated online gambling and lawful Internet poker websites in IL in 2020.

Fun Fact

President Barrack Obama, who spent the majority of his professional career in Illinois, played real money poker with his peers while employed at the University of Chicago Law School. He is the first poker playing President since Richard Nixon. Or maybe he’s just the first to admit to real cash poker gambling experience in Texas Hold’em poker.

The Bottom Line

Regardless of the final outcome, Internet gambling and legal poker websites will be a hot topic among Illinois state officials in the coming months. And although there’s no guarantee that IL inhabitants will be able to hit the virtual poker felt and start playing at legit real money poker sites in Illinois anytime soon, there are several strong indicators that an IL iGaming and real cash Internet poker bill could pass sooner as opposed to later – especially now that states like New Jersey have proven that online gaming can generate substantial revenue in the form of real money gambling profits.

References

[1] ↑Illinois Online Gambling to Emerge as Standalone Bill

[2] ↑Illinois Gambling Laws: Illinois Compiled Statues

[3] ↑Arlington Park

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