Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has extended his executive order to allow the registration of smart sports betting in a planned action.
The executive order 2020-41 will continue to be in effect until at least December 12, but with the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Illinois exceeding 15,000, it is likely that the extension will last into the new year.
The 2019 Illinois Gambling Act originally required individuals to personally visit a sports betting operator’s retail location to register for at least the first 18 months of the operator’s launch. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this rule was quickly overturned. Since August, the need for in-person registration has been temporarily lifted, leading to a significant surge in the Illinois sports betting industry.
Did Pritzker order be used by new providers?
Surprisingly, William Hill launched its online sportsbook in the middle of September, making it the most recent operator to enter the market in Illinois. Since then, there has been no further activity in the state.
Three operators, including Unibet, Barstool, and BetMGM sportsbooks, have shown interest in participating.
Unibet notified Play Illinois in October of its plans to start operating in Illinois in early 2021, pending approval from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB). The company has obtained market access through Argosy Casino Alton.
Barstool is reportedly set to debut in Illinois in early 2021, with plans to potentially collaborate with one or both Hollywood casinos to enter the market.
BetMGM has not yet revealed its plans, but it has applied for a sports betting license in Illinois. However, the company is currently without a financial partner and faces limited options in finding one.
Pritzker’s continuous efforts to expand mobile registration present a promising opportunity for the launch of new sportsbooks in Illinois. Yet, they were caught off guard by the weeks-long online registration capacity issues in early 2020, and the IGB authorization process continues to pose challenges.
Illinois’s COVID – 19 perspective
In November, Illinois, like the rest of the United States, has seen an increase in daily COVID-19 cases.
Positivity rates have hit a peak not seen since May, with daily deaths reaching an all-time high since June. The state has also imposed new restrictions on casinos, limiting capacity to just 25% at eight of the ten casinos in Illinois.
In response to the crisis, casinos have been running at half their usual capacity and have reduced game availability to operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Local food and beverage businesses have also been paused, in line with recent actions taken by Pritzker, as indoor dining services in Illinois have been closed since November 4.
Given the current state of public health, it would not be advisable to mandate registration for sports betting at a game.
This statement has been true for some time, but it is especially relevant in the context of this writing.