BetRivers Raises Illinois Minimum Bet to $5 as Sportsbooks React to Sharp Drop in Wager Volume
BetRivers has increased its minimum wager in Illinois to $5 from $1, a change implemented as a result of a new tax structure in the state that is driving millions of small bets out of the market.
The change puts BetRivers among the most restrictive sportsbooks in Illinois, behind only Circa’s $10 minimum, and reflects a broader industry shift away from low-dollar wagers that have become uneconomical under state law.
Illinois Is Losing Bets
Illinois Gaming Board data indicate that the state’s sports betting market is undergoing a structural shift. Fewer wagers are being placed, despite an increase in total betting dollars.
In September 2024, Illinois sportsbooks took in over 33.6 million bets, but this figure declined to approximately 28.5 million in September 2025. That represents a decrease of over 15%.
Despite the drop in ticket volume, total handle increased by more than $120 million. That indicates that bettors were placing fewer but significantly larger wagers.
The pattern repeated in October, when the number of bets fell from approximately 38.1 million in 2024 to roughly 32.1 million in 2025. That marked another year-over-year decline of nearly 16%, despite a rise in handle of more than $160 million.
These figures translate to an increase in the average bet size. Data shows that it jumped from around $33 per wager in 2024 to nearly $44 per wager in 2025.
New State Tax Could Be Driving The Decline
The decline in bets could be tied to Illinois’ new per-ticket tax. In addition to taxing total gaming revenue, that state now charges $0.25 on each of the first 20 million wagers, and $0.50 on every wager above that threshold.
Because the tax applies regardless of wager size, a small bet can generate more tax than profit for an operator. That has made micro-wagers financially unsustainable, forcing sportsbooks to either add surcharges or raise minimum bets.
- Surcharges: FanDuel, DraftKings ($0.50); Fanatics, Caesars ($0.25), bet365 ($0.25 on bets under $10)
- Minimum Bets: theScore (formerly ESPN Bet, $1), Hard Rock Bet ($2), BetMGM ($2.50), BetRivers ($ 5), Circa ($10)
The Gaming Board data show that Illinois lost more than 11 million in bets year-over-year across September and October alone. That means that operators were paying millions of dollars in excise taxes on shrinking ticket volume.
BetRivers, whose customer base historically included a large share of low-dollar bettors, was especially exposed. Since the state implemented the tax on July 1, the operator has seen a roughly 32% decline in bets placed on its platform.
Moving to a $5 minimum removes the lowest-margin wagers entirely rather than taxing them individually.
Chicago Adds Another Layer of Pressure
The pressure on sportsbooks in Illinois is intensifying further, as they now face a city tax in Chicago as part of the city’s budget that took effect on January 1.
The city now imposes a 10.25% tax on sports betting revenue generated within Chicago’s limits. That levy stacks on top of Illinois’s 20 to 40 % state tax on sportsbook revenue and the per-wager excise tax.
In response, the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) filed a lawsuit against the city. It also sought an emergency injunction blocking the enforcement, which it later withdrew. The SBA is a coalition of sports betting operators – including Bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics.
What Bettors Will See Next
Illinois has not seen a decline in wagering interest, but a decline in low-value wagers. The Gaming Board’s own numbers indicate that bettors are still wagering heavily. However, they are doing so through fewer, larger tickets, as the market no longer supports small stakes.
BetRivers’ new $5 minimum is one of the first signs that Illinois’ tax structure is reshaping how legal sports betting operates. It also signals that even more operators could adjust their minimums or surcharge structures as the Chicago tax takes effect.
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