Fact checked by Derick Wilder
Illinois officially recognized gambling addiction as a disorder in 2026. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the bill into law a few days after an investigation found that gamblers in Illinois lost more than $7.7 billion on legal gambling in 2025 alone. This fall, the Chicago Casino opens and is expected to attract 2.4 million visitors annually.
More than 1 in 10 adults are estimated to have a gambling addiction or be at risk of developing one. At the national level, 1 in 5 compulsive gamblers has attempted suicide.
Yet, despite profiting from gambling, the state has allocated only 0.1% of its gambling tax revenue to treat gambling addiction. Illinois has one of the largest slot machine markets in the world, and gambling losses have nearly doubled since 2019 following the expansion of casinos and legalized sports wagering.
While the new legislation recognizes gambling as a public health issue, it doesn’t allocate additional funding for treatment. Zain Nayani, DO, an addiction specialist with Rush Medical Group, says there are many ways to address problem gambling.
Identifying those at risk
Gambling addiction affects not only the individual, but also society and the workforce, Nayani says.
“Problem gamblers can have the potential to cause a lot of conflict in the family, especially financially,” he says. Their children might have more difficulty concentrating at school and are also at greater risk of developing the condition. More than a third of boys gamble before turning 18.
Clinicians use a two-question screening tool to identify at-risk gamblers. It asks whether the person feels an urge to bet more and whether they have lied about how much time or money they spend gambling. People with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders have a greater risk of developing a gambling addiction.
Nayani says the following resources are available to help people concerned about their own or a loved one’s gambling.
Therapy: Work with an addiction-trained physician or psychiatrist. The process typically starts by recognizing any gambling triggers and using breathing or mindfulness exercises to help move through them.
Self-exclusion: Compulsive gamblers can use the state’s self-exclusion program to ban themselves from some forms of gambling, but they must register in person.
Hotlines: The Illinois-based hotline 1-800-GAMBLER connects people with services. The Are You Really Winning app and website list problem gambling treatment and recovery options, and include filters for people without insurance.
Peer support: Gamblers Anonymous is a free 12-step peer support program for people with gambling addiction, and Gam-Anon is available for loved ones.
Financial counseling: No-cost online financial counseling is available by application through GamFin via the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling website.
Nayani says including friends and family in treatment plans is crucial.
“People often think that ‘Yeah, I can do it on my own,’ but it’s a disease, a mental condition,” he says. “So we like to treat it as such. You’ve got to get the right support for that.”
