Rush Street Interactive (RSI) is once again raising the minimum wager amount in Illinois for its BetRivers brand amid the state’s tax rules for licensed operators.
RSI has raised the minimum wager amount in Illinois to $5, up from a previous limit of $1, a spokesperson confirmed to SBC Americas.
The limit increase marks BetRivers’ second minimum wager change in a calendar year for its operations in the Land of Lincoln.
BetRivers’ first effort to raise its minimum bet amount
Last July, Illinois implemented a per-wager tax, charging licensed operators 25 cents per wager after the state’s legislature voted to implement the new tax obligation as part of a state fiscal budget. The per-wager tax increases to 50 cents per bet after the first 20 million bets placed in a year.
So far, BetRivers has accepted 2.8 million bets since the fee was implemented and do not risk coming close to the 20 million-bet threshold.
According to data provided by the Illinois Gaming Board, sportsbooks paid the state roughly $5.2 million as a result of the per-wager tax charge in July 2025, the first month it was in effect. Since July, the per-wager tax has generated over $35 million in tax revenue.
Local tax in Chicago also sparks changes
BetRivers, and other licensed operators in Illinois, are also facing a local tax in Illinois as part of a new city budget that went into effect on Jan. 1. As part of the budget, the City of Chicago imposes a 10.25% tax on all retail and online sports wagers placed by bettors in the city. The budget also requires operators to obtain city-specific wagering licenses.
A master license costs $50,000 with renewal fees set at $25,000. Under the budget, platform providers are required to dish out $10,000 up front with a $5,000 renewal fee.
Members of the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) responded to the local tax in Chicago by filing suit against the city, the Chicago Department of Finance and City Comptroller Michael Belsky. The suit argues that the Chicago City Council lacks the legal authority to impose a local tax on wagering, as the General Assembly hasn’t granted it to them.
As part of the suit, members of the SBA requested a temporary restraining order to avoid the local tax and city-specific licensing requirement, allowing them to continue operating in Chicago. The SBA includes bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel.
Other Illinois sportsbooks raise minimum bet amounts
With the increase, BetRivers trails only Circa for the highest minimum wager to bet on the site. Circa upped minimum wagers to $10 when the per-wager fee was implemented.
BetMGM implemented a minimum bet amount of $2.50, an increase from a previous minimum wager limit of 50 cents. Hard Rock followed suit by requiring bettors in Illinois to place a sports wager of at least $2. The Florida-based operator previously imposed a $1 bet minimum in Illinois.
Other licensed in operators in Illinois, including DraftKings and FanDuel, took a different approach in responding to the per-wager tax in the state by implementing transaction fees.
DraftKings and FanDuel impose 50-cent transaction fees, while bet365, Caesars and Fanatics levy a 25 cent fee. Bet365’s 25-cent surge only applies to wagers less than $10.
