New fees and minimum wagers for online sports betting are being implemented by sportsbook operators in Illinois in response to the tax treatment bookmakers are receiving in the state.
Photo By – Imagn Images. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) looks to pass the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter at Soldier Field. David Banks-Imagn Images
Another online sportsbook operator in the Land of Lincoln will tack on a per-bet fee for users this football season, in response to the state’s new wagering tax.
- Caesars Sportsbook will begin charging a $0.25 fee on each online wager in Illinois starting Sept. 1.
- This move aligns Caesars with Fanatics’ pricing, while competitors like DraftKings, FanDuel, and others adopt either higher per-bet fees or increased minimum bet requirements.
Caesars Sportsbook is the latest operator to reveal its answer to the new per-bet tax in Illinois, telling customers this week that it will charge a 25-cent “tax” (a fee) on all online bets starting on Sept. 1.
“The tax is applied on each individual bet made,” Caesars said in an FAQ on its website. “Multi-leg bets like Parlays, Same-Game Parlays and Round Robins are counted as one bet.”
Caesars Sportsbook has an FAQ up for the 25-cent fee it will charge customers in Illinois on all online sports bets, starting Sept. 1. Bonus bets are tax-free*
*for the bettor, not Caesars pic.twitter.com/eyitNwIUpZ
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) August 26, 2025
Caesars’ fee is the same size as the one Fanatics will charge customers in Illinois, and half that of the one DraftKings and FanDuel will ask their customers to pay starting next month. Other online sportsbooks in Illinois have decided to implement higher minimum wagering requirements, such as $1 at ESPN BET and $2.50 at BetMGM.
The fees and minimum wagers are being implemented in response to the tax treatment operators are receiving in Illinois.
After a surprise move by lawmakers earlier this year, online sports betting sites in Illinois must now pay 25 cents for each of the first 20 million wagers they take in the state in a year, and then 50 cents after that.
The new tax is in addition to a tax hike on revenue that lawmakers passed in 2024, making Illinois one of the costlier states for mobile bookmakers.
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