Some Illinois residents could see prices of a variety of items increase in coming weeks after tax rates were raised as part of budget negotiations.
That budget, which passed the General Assembly over the weekend, includes more than $55 billion in spending, with Democrats praising the bill as being the state’s seventh consecutive balanced budget thanks to increases in revenue.
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WATCH HERE“The passage of the FY26 balanced budget is a testament to Illinois’ fiscal responsibility,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in a statement. “Even in the face of Trump and Congressional Republicans stalling the national economy, our state budget delivers for working families without raising their taxes while protecting the progress we are making for our long-term fiscal health. I’m grateful to Speaker Welch, President Harmon, the budget teams, and all the legislators and stakeholders who collaborated to shape and pass this legislation. I look forward to signing my seventh balanced budget in a row and continuing to build a stronger Illinois.”
While some of that revenue will come from increases in corporate tax rates, delaying the transfer of funds from motor fuel taxes into the state’s road fund and other maneuvers, there are several taxes that could increase prices on some items and services for Illinois residents, drawing withering criticism from Republicans in Springfield.
Here are a few of the notable changes.
Sports Betting
Illinois officials are hoping to raise more than $36 million in yearly revenue by assessing a per-wager tax on sports bets placed within the state, according to multiple reports, including from Casino Beats.
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Beginning July 1, the state will impose a tax of $0.25 per wager for the first 20 million wagers placed with licensed sports books within Illinois. After that, the tax rate will increase to $0.50 per wager, according to the text of the amendment to the tax code.
That money will then be deposited into the state’s General Revenue Fund.
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Residents who use services like Airbnb and Vrbo for vacation rentals will soon be charged with the state’s Hotel Operators’ Occupation Tax, as an exemption carved out into the tax code was deleted during budget negotiations.
According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, the state taxes hotel rooms at a rate of 6% of 94% of gross receipts. In the city of Chicago, the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, which helps to operate Rate Field, and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which operates McCormick Place, also collect taxes on hotels. The city itself also assesses a 1% tax on hotel rooms.
More information can be found on the IDOR website.
Tobacco Products
Finally, the state intends to raise tax rates on any “product that is made from or derived from tobacco,” including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, vaping products and nicotine gum, according to legislators.
That tax will not be applied to smoking cessation products, according to the text of the bill.
The tax rate will be raised from 36% of the wholesale price of the products to 45%, according to the legislation.
Other Revenue Generators
In addition to raising corporate tax rates, the state of Illinois will also hope to generate revenues from a tax amnesty program, rewarding companies for repatriating funds into the state.
