Illinois is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, with an average of 1,294 new infections reported daily over the past year. According to the Chicago Tribune, this is 1,000 more cases per day compared to the beginning of July. Hospitalizations across the country are also on the rise.
The delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the US, causing a surge in numerous states.
Since 2020, increasing case numbers have led to shutdowns or capacity limitations for numerous businesses, such as casinos and sports venues. From March 2020 to June 2021, Illinois casinos experienced closures or limited operations.
However, there is a significant difference between the present and the past. COVID-19 vaccines are now readily accessible for adults, and even half of Illinois residents aged 12 to 17 have been vaccinated.
Illinois was the first state in the Midwest to achieve this milestone, with only 56.2% of its residents fully vaccinated.
The Prairie State no longer requires a mask mandate and is now fully reopened. If either of these changes were to occur, how would they affect the state’s gaming industry?
The introduction of new guidelines may have an effect on the registration process for in-person sports betting, as well as the capacities of casinos and stadiums.
Let’s analyze it, shall we?
Lightfoot issues a warning about fresh limitations in Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, stated in a recent interview with the New York Times that she is open to the idea of implementing a mask mandate and additional restrictions if the COVID-19 situation worsens.
Lightfoot said that if new COVID-19 cases exceed 200 per day, she will consider implementing new guidelines. Currently, Chicago is seeing an average of 165 new cases per day.
This announcement is crucial for Chicago residents. It is worth mentioning that there are no games in Chicago, and Illinois regulations hold more weight than Chicago regulations for the purposes of this discussion.
When asked about the potential financial gain from provincial restrictions, the office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated the following:
Governor Pritzker is exploring all avenues to ensure the safety of Illinois residents, taking into account the advice of scientists and physicians.
In the past pandemic surges, Pritzker prioritized preventing hospitals and the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed, and this will guide his decision-making on implementing further mitigations.
New Chicago restrictions will have a greater impact on stadiums. Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field have already reopened at full capacity, with Soldier Field set to follow suit.
One could expect that the new restrictions will be met with social displeasure. Lightfoot makes these comments as Chicago gears up to host Lollapalooza this weekend, an event expected to attract hundreds of thousands of participants.
Is there a possibility Illinois will re-register online?
Pritzker reinstated in-person sports betting registration in early April, and Illinois casinos returned to full capacity on June 11.
Those days are important as they will help us prepare for potential COVID-19 restrictions in Illinois in the future. It will give us insight on what to expect and what actions to avoid.
Pritzker is more likely to bring back online registration for casinos if they reduce operations to 50% or 60% capacity. He discontinued online registration when vaccines became available to all adults in Illinois.
It is likely that mask mandates will be reinstated soon. The CDC has updated its mask guidelines, now recommending that masks be worn indoors in areas with high transmission rates.
However, it wasn’t until a few months later that Illinois began implementing Phase 5 of its reopening plan.
In simpler terms, Pritzker’s choice to halt in-person registration may lead to a greater challenge from the delta variant. This could result in increased mask mandates and stricter regulations.
Nevertheless, it is not guaranteed that either of those events will happen. The Pritzker administration’s statement emphasizes that hospitalizations are a more crucial measure than new cases.
Illinois is considering mandating vaccinations for government workers, but there is no support for vaccine passports or requiring vaccinations for the general public.
