Illinois Statewide Rule

Illinois Charitable Games Act Sets Licensing and Bet Limits

Significant RestrictionsApplies statewide across Illinois (2026)

Key Facts

License fee: $400 per license, valid two years
Event limit: 4 charitable-games days per licensee per year
House-banked bet cap: $20 maximum single bet
Cash payout cap: $500 cash; noncash prizes unlimited
Bingo tax rate: 5% of gross proceeds, paid quarterly
Bingo daily prize cap: $2,250 total prizes per day
Enforcing agency: Illinois Department of Revenue

Last verified: August 21, 2026

Summary

Illinois nonprofits need a Department of Revenue license before running charitable games, capped at 4 days a year, with single bets at house-banked games limited to $20 and cash payouts capped at $500 per event. Licenses cost $400 for two years. A companion law, the Bingo License and Tax Act, licenses bingo separately for $200 a year and taxes proceeds at 5% quarterly.

(4) No single bet at any house-banked game may exceed $20. ... (6) At the conclusion of the event or when the participant leaves, he or she may cash in his or her chips, scrip, or play money in exchange for currency not to exceed $500 in cash winnings or unlimited noncash prizes. ... (7) Each licensee shall be permitted to conduct charitable games on not more than 4 days each year. ... (9) A charitable games event is considered to be a one-day event and charitable games may not be played between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and noon.

View official code

Full Breakdown

The Charitable Games Act (230 ILCS 30) lets only qualifying nonprofits run casino-style fundraisers, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, pull tabs, keno, and similar games, after the Illinois Department of Revenue issues a license. Eligible applicants are 501(c) charitable, religious, fraternal, veterans', labor, or educational organizations that have operated continuously in Illinois for 5 years, or local fraternal mutual-benefit organizations chartered at least 40 years before applying (Section 3). The license fee is $400, nonrefundable, due on application and each renewal, and the license runs for two years; applications are due at least 30 days before the event.

Providers who supply a venue pay $50 per event or $150 for a triennial license (Section 5); equipment suppliers pay $500 per event or $1,500 triennially (Section 6). and noon. Single bets at house-banked games are capped at $20, and a participant can cash out only up to $500 in currency, though noncash prizes are unlimited. Only the sponsoring organization's members, employees, or volunteers can run the games, and none can be paid. Net proceeds must go to the organization's lawful charitable purposes, and all fees and taxes collected fund the Illinois Gaming Law Enforcement Fund.

Bingo is licensed under a separate statute, the Bingo License and Tax Act (230 ILCS 25), which charges a $200 annual license fee, taxes gross proceeds at 5% payable quarterly, caps total prizes at $2,250 per day and $500 for any single game, and bars anyone under 18 from playing or helping run a game.

Violations & Penalties

A first violation of the Charitable Games Act is a Class A misdemeanor; a second or later violation is a Class 4 felony. An organization that runs unlicensed charitable games faces a civil penalty equal to its gross proceeds from those games, plus confiscation and forfeiture of all equipment used. Under the Bingo License and Tax Act, conducting or knowingly taking part in an unlicensed bingo game is prosecuted as gambling, and the Department of Revenue can impose civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days a year can an Illinois nonprofit hold a charitable games event?

Under 230 ILCS 30/8, each Department of Revenue licensee is limited to 4 days of charitable games per calendar year, and every event counts as a single day even if it runs multiple sessions. Games cannot be played between 2:00 a.m. and noon, and house-banked bets are capped at $20 each, with cash winnings limited to $500 per event.

Which nonprofits qualify for an Illinois charitable games license?

The Department of Revenue licenses 501(c) charitable, religious, fraternal, veterans', labor, and educational organizations that have operated continuously in Illinois for 5 years, plus local fraternal mutual-benefit organizations chartered at least 40 years before applying. The license costs $400, covers two years, and applications must be filed at least 30 days before the event under 230 ILCS 30/3.

Can minors play bingo in Illinois?

No. The Bingo License and Tax Act bars anyone under 18 from playing bingo or helping conduct a game; a minor can be present in the playing area only if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Licensed operators also face a 5% tax on gross bingo proceeds, paid quarterly to the Department of Revenue, on top of the $200 annual license fee.

What happens if a group runs charitable games without a license in Illinois?

A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor, and any repeat violation becomes a Class 4 felony under 230 ILCS 30/12. The Department of Revenue can also hit the organization with a civil penalty equal to the gross proceeds it took in from the unlicensed games and seize and forfeit all the equipment used to run them.

Sources

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