More Illinoisans are gambling than ever before, yet sign-ups to Illinois’ gambling addiction program have dropped. That runs counter to the national increase in problem gamblers.

Judging from the numbers, Illinois is filled with well-adjusted, responsible gamblers who know when to say when.

Right?

Don’t bet on it.

In Illinois, sign-ups for the Illinois Gaming Board’s Self-Exclusion Program, which allows problem gamblers to voluntarily bar themselves from all Illinois casinos and sports wagering, is used little compared to how often Illinoisans gamble. The number of sign-ups has been trending downward since 2006, with a relatively small uptick after sports wagering began in 2020, a Freedom of Information Act request to the Illinois Gaming Board showed.

With the legalization of sports wagering in 2020, self-exclusion signups have been slowly on the rise in Illinois. Yet it pales against the national trend since states were first allowed to start sports betting in 2018 and problem gamblers started flooding other states’ helplines.

“We have every reason to believe the growth of online sports betting is a major contributing factor to the increase in gambling problems,” said Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. The organization runs a helpline, 1-800-GAMBLER.

Besides sports gaming’s start, since 2021 four new casinos have opened in Illinois, increasing gaming access statewide.

From 2022 to 2023, the total number of people admitted into Illinois casinos grew by nearly 2 million. In 2024, this trend is continuing with more than 6 million casino visits from January through June.

Illinois’ anti-gambling program requires in-person enrollment at a sanctioned site, taking 30-45 minutes to complete. The helpline is 1-877-YOU-QUIT.

Gaming is a million-dollar revenue source, but fewer signups to the Self-Exclusion Program might be a warning lawmakers need to do more to address the social costs of gambling addiction.