The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has enacted a comprehensive update to its marketing and advertising standards for licensed casino, video gaming, and sports betting operators, introducing a uniform set of rules intended to strengthen public safeguards. Among the most prominent changes is a statewide prohibition on gambling advertisements appearing on college and university campuses, as well as in student-targeted media.
The revised rules, which officially took effect on August 1, 2025, after approval from the Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) in May, were published in Volume 49, Issue 31 of the Illinois Register. The IGB said the new regulations are designed to close existing gaps in marketing practices and ensure consistency across all forms of legalized gambling in the state.
Protecting Minors and At-Risk Groups
As stated in the IGB release, the new framework prohibits all forms of casino, sports wagering, and video gaming promotions from being distributed, aired, or displayed on college campuses, in school-affiliated newspapers and media, or at sporting venues that primarily host college events. Additionally, ads must not depict students or campus environments in any context. These restrictions are intended to reduce exposure to gambling content among college-aged individuals, a demographic considered especially vulnerable to problem gambling behaviors.
IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter emphasized the Board’s commitment to consumer protection, stating: “By adopting these measures, the IGB is building upon existing regulations to implement additional safeguards and standards that further protect the public and encourage responsible gambling habits. These regulations provide for clear, consistent, ethical, and transparent advertising and marketing guidelines for all casino, video gaming, and sports wagering operations under IGB jurisdiction.”
Operators under the IGB’s jurisdiction will now be required to keep detailed logs of all marketing and promotional activities. This includes retaining copies of ads and documenting how and when each piece of content was published, aired, or shared. Furthermore, all promotional materials must feature visible responsible gambling messages, using wording approved by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The rules also ensure that consumers have greater control over the advertising they receive. Operators must provide patrons with the ability to unsubscribe or opt out of promotional communications and honor these requests as promptly as possible.
Additionally, the regulations prevent Illinois gambling licensees from partnering with third-party advertisers whose compensation depends on the volume or outcome of wagers. This aims to eliminate conflicts of interest that could promote aggressive or misleading advertising.
Expanding 2020 Sports Wagering Rules to All Gambling Sectors
These enhanced rules stem from a multi-year review process by the IGB, which began with an assessment of the sports betting advertising standards introduced in 2020. The board concluded that the same ethical guidelines and consumer protections should also apply to video gaming and traditional casinos. By integrating and codifying the standards, the IGB now maintains a single advertising policy across the three gambling sectors it regulates.
Illinois currently operates 17 land-based casinos, nearly 9,000 licensed video gaming establishments, and 14 active sportsbooks. The state’s higher education system includes 249 colleges and universities, comprising 63 public and 186 private institutions, according to 2023–24 data, highlighting the broad scope and impact of the campus advertising ban.
