The Illinois Gaming Board adopted changes in September 2026 that reshape the state's voluntary Self-Exclusion Program. The amendments introduce shorter enrollment terms of six months, one year and three years, authorize future mail, online and treatment-provider sign-up pathways, and create a 12-month marketing exclusion list for people exiting the program. Agency officials said the moves are intended to reduce shame, stigma and administrative friction that deter problem gamblers from seeking help. The changes still must complete public rulemaking and review by the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules before they take effect.
Tiered options replace the old five-year minimum
Previously, the only self-exclusion option available in Illinois was a ban of five years or more. The adopted rules add six-month, one-year and three-year options while keeping the five-year term and an indefinite option, according to Card Player. The program may automatically re-enroll participants, but they would be able to withdraw at any time. People exiting a five-year or indefinite exclusion would still need documentation from a certified gambling addiction counselor confirming they are no longer a problem gambler.
The board said the tiered structure brings Illinois closer to peer gaming jurisdictions with similar flexibility. Fresno State University associate professor Alyssa Wilson told Capitol News Illinois that the state could achieve more by ending the five-year minimum, and that shorter cooling-off periods could lower barriers for people seeking help.
New enrollment pathways target shame and friction
Previously, enrollment required an in-person visit at about 32 locations, half of which were casinos. Outside Chicago, only five non-casino sites were available. That arrangement could expose compulsive gamblers to additional temptation and discourage sign-up. IGB administrator Marcus Fruchter said Illinois had "no notarized mail alternative, no treatment provider pathway and no online portal presently in operation as offered in comparable jurisdictions." He added that studies point to embarrassment, stigma and procedural hurdles as frequent reasons people start but do not finish enrollment.
Under the amendments, the agency is authorized to pursue a notarized mail alternative, treatment provider referrals and an online portal. Officials said these channels will need extra technical work and review before they become available.
Marketing exclusion list created
The board also established a voluntary Marketing Exclusion List that extends current rules for a default 12 months after a person's elected exclusion term ends, according to the Illinois Gaming Board's announcement. During that window, gambling licensees may not direct marketing at former self-excluded patrons, though those individuals could still take part in promotions if they choose.
Video gaming and fantasy contests addressed
The self-exclusion list does not currently cover Illinois's video gaming terminals, which the agency has called the largest distributed video gaming network of its kind worldwide. A separate resolution adopted at the same meeting endorsed equipping terminals with card readers and ticket-based cashless systems, meaning terminals would not take or hold cash. That step did not take effect and will require technical standards and proposed rules.
The board also approved rules implementing sports wagering act changes that place fantasy contests under agency oversight, fold them into the Self-Exclusion Program, and require participants to be at least 21 years old.
Timeline and current program reach
The three self-exclusion amendments will go through public rulemaking before the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a review that could take six months to a year, according to CBS News Chicago. The board's next meeting is scheduled for October 22. Nearly 16,000 people have enrolled in the current list, while a state-commissioned study estimated that 383,000 Illinois adults have a gambling problem and another 761,000 are at risk, Capitol News Illinois reported.
