Illinois Becomes First State to Treat Gambling Addiction Like Drugs and Alcohol

Illinois has made history by becoming the first state to recognize gambling addiction as a substance use disorder, a move that will broaden funding and treatment resources for those diagnosed.

Illinois Senate Bill 2749, signed last Friday by Gov. JB Pritzker (D), adds gambling addiction to the Substance Use Disorder Act, which is the state’s core law governing prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance abuse. SB2749 gives gambling addiction an equal footing with drugs and alcohol.

The bill cleared the Illinois General Assembly this spring with bipartisan support.

SB2749 orders the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to integrate gambling disorder services into its existing substance abuse programming, requiring the agency to provide adequate patient resources for those seeking help. IDHS must run or contract out a gambling-disorder helpline and website, conduct public awareness campaigns, offer provider training, and initiate grant programs for local prevention and treatment projects.

“Gambling addictions have long burdened residents and families across Illinois–financially destroying lives and creating long-term mental health distress. By classifying gambling as a disorder through the Department of Human Services, the state will be able to provide addiction services to those affected,” said Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest), the chief author of SB2749.

Illinois’ gambling addiction programs will be funded through federal grants required to assist substance use disorders and various state funding sources, including the Illinois Drug Treatment Fund.

Is Gambling Addiction a Mental Health Matter?

Illinois’ legal definition of “gambling disorder” likens the problem to mental health. SB2749 says the condition is characterized by a persistent or recurring pattern of problematic gambling, “leading to significant psychological distress and impairment in health and mental functioning.”

“Classified under substance use disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), gambling disorder shares similarities with drug abuse, as both activate reward systems in the brain and produce comparable behavioral symptoms,” the law reads.

Morrison believes acknowledging gambling addiction as a substance use disorder ensures those affected have state resources for treatment and a pathway to recovery.

“Recognizing gambling addiction as a disorder and treating it with the same importance as any other public health issue, we are ensuring all residents have access to the support and resources they need, when they need it,” Morrison said.

Gamblers in Illinois lost more than $3.4 billion to commercial casinos and video gaming terminals in 2025.

School Gambling Ed

Along with offering support and treatment to compulsive gamblers, SB2749 directs IDHS to collaborate with the State Board of Education, should the Education Board wish, to develop instructional resources for K-12 public schools to teach students about gambling disorders.

The law does not require schools that receive state funding to implement gambling disorder curriculum. The statute says only that school districts have access to such instructional resources “that may be used.”