PrizePicks is legal in Illinois for players 18 and older, but the version you can play today is not the version the platform is best known for. In early 2025, the Illinois Gaming Board and the Attorney General sent cease-and-desist letters targeting PrizePicks’ single-player, against-the-house contests. PrizePicks agreed to pull that format and now operates in Illinois with adjusted contest types while the legislature considers a dedicated fantasy sports law.
What You Can Play on PrizePicks in Illinois Right Now
PrizePicks currently lists Illinois as an available state for its Player Picks, Culture Picks, and Free2Play contest formats, open to residents 18 and older.1PrizePicks. States Where You Can Play PrizePicks The signature single-player contests, where you pick more or less on a series of individual player projections and play against the house, are not part of that lineup in Illinois after the 2025 enforcement action.2Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Attorney General Raoul Urges Fans Placing March Madness Wagers to Exercise Caution to Protect Information, Funds
What’s available can shift. Check the PrizePicks app or website directly before you play, because regulatory actions or new legislation could adjust the offerings at any time.
Why Illinois Cracked Down in 2025
Illinois has no statute that specifically regulates daily fantasy sports. The legal footing for DFS in the state comes mostly from the Illinois Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in Dew-Becker v. Wu, which held that a DFS contest was predominantly skill-based and did not fall under the current legal definition of gambling.3Justia. Dew-Becker v. Wu
That ruling is narrower than it sounds. Dew-Becker involved a head-to-head contest between two users, and the court itself said nothing in the opinion should be read as suggesting that regulation of DFS is unnecessary, leaving that call to the legislature.3Justia. Dew-Becker v. Wu
PrizePicks’ single-player format doesn’t match the head-to-head structure the court analyzed. You play against the platform rather than against other users. In early 2025 the Illinois Gaming Board issued cease-and-desist letters to entities it viewed as operating unlicensed sports wagering sites, and PrizePicks (operating as SidePrize LLC) was among them.2Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Attorney General Raoul Urges Fans Placing March Madness Wagers to Exercise Caution to Protect Information, Funds Regulators took the position that against-the-house contests look more like sports wagering, which requires a license under the Sports Wagering Act (230 ILCS 45) that PrizePicks did not hold.4Illinois Gaming Board. Sports Wagering Law PrizePicks agreed to stop offering the disputed contests while the state works out a longer-term framework.
What Could Change: Senate Bill 1224
The Illinois legislature has introduced Senate Bill 1224, the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. If enacted, it would give the Illinois Gaming Board authority to regulate fantasy contest operators, require licensing, and allow the board to collect fees and taxes on fantasy contest revenue.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois General Assembly Bill Status of SB1224 It also contains provisions for independent audits, investigations of prohibited conduct, compulsive gambling protections, and voluntary self-exclusion.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois SB1224 – Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act
A licensed regime would replace the current mix of a single court ruling and case-by-case enforcement with clear rules about which contest types are allowed. The bill remains under consideration and has not been enacted.
Age and Account Verification
You must be at least 18 to use PrizePicks in Illinois.1PrizePicks. States Where You Can Play PrizePicks To create and activate an account, you’ll need your full legal name as it appears on a government-issued ID, your date of birth, home address, and a valid email address. PrizePicks may also ask for a selfie alongside your ID.7PrizePicks. Verification
You must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or hold a valid U.S. visa, and your residential address must be within the 50 states, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Certain contest types, including Team and Culture picks, require an additional verification step confirming a valid Social Security Number.7PrizePicks. Verification Acceptable ID includes a driver’s license or passport. Library cards and debit cards won’t work.
Taxes on Your Winnings
DFS winnings are taxable income. If your net profit on a platform reaches $600 or more in a calendar year, the operator is required to issue you and the IRS a Form 1099-MISC reporting those earnings. Even below that threshold, the IRS still expects you to report DFS winnings on your federal return.
Illinois taxes the winnings too. The state requires withholding on gambling winnings above $5,000 in a single payment, and operators must file Form W-2G with the Illinois Department of Revenue.8Illinois Department of Revenue. Withholding Illinois Income Tax for Lottery or Gambling Winnings Below that, your net DFS profits are still part of your Illinois taxable income. Keep records of entries, winnings, and losses throughout the year.
If Play Becomes a Problem
The Illinois Department of Human Services runs a 24/7 helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER, and you can text “ILGAMB” to 833234 for support.9Illinois Department of Human Services. Gambling Help The Illinois Gaming Board also administers a free Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program; enrollment happens at an IGB office at any Illinois casino, requires a valid driver’s license or state ID, needs no appointment, and takes about 30 to 45 minutes.10Illinois Gaming Board. Self-Exclusion Program (SEP) PrizePicks offers its own tools within the app, including deposit limits and self-exclusion options.11PrizePicks. Responsible Gaming