Illinois sports betting laws allow for in-person betting on in-state school teams. However, if you visit a casino or track in Illinois, you will not find any betting lines on Illinois games.
In mid-December, Governor JB Pritzker passed HB 3136, allowing betting on Illinois college teams to be legalized. However, a few weeks have gone by and there are still no casinos or retail sportsbooks offering Northwestern lines, Loyola Chicago odds, and other betting options. What is the reason for this delay?
Before a retail sportsbook can offer betting lines, it must first submit a request to the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB). As of now, no sportsbook has submitted a request, as confirmed by an IGB spokesperson.
The reason? Certain individuals may experience feelings of being overwhelmed.
Sportsbooks in Illinois do not prioritize school gambling.
In other words, both users and consumers are not as excited about the need for in-person interaction.
Illinois sportsbooks have a laid-back attitude towards the timeline for introducing markets for Illinois college teams, with a focus on having them ready for March Madness betting, which is a major attraction for retail sportsbooks.
The statistics also take into consideration the lack of interest from the operators. Only 4.3% of the revenue came from retail casinos in the latest earnings report. Adding Illinois college teams to the mix is unlikely to have a significant impact.
The absence of intensity can be understood by the fact that both Northwestern and Illinois did not make it to a college football bowl game.
Once again, the approach to travel March Madness should shift. Northwestern deserves to be part of the conversation, while Illinois and Loyola Chicago are on the verge of winning the NCAA Tournament.
Illinois and Loyola Chicago faced off in the NCAA Tournament last year. Retail casinos in Illinois would need to prepare for a potential matchup between the Illini and Ramblers in the Final Four, although the likelihood of this happening two years in a row is slim.
The in-person requirement has an expiration time.
The annoying in-person condition will expire on July 1, 2025, prompting the government to contemplate its next steps.
This does not guarantee that online betting on Illinois college teams will be implemented. Lawmakers have the option to either extend the current policy, or completely eliminate wagering on Illinois universities.
Supporters are optimistic that, if everything proceeds as intended, the state will implement the policy online.
Additional modifications to HB 3136
The most significant update in sports betting from HB 3136 is the removal of the in-person registration requirement starting on March 5, 2022.
Just in time for March Madness, there will likely be a surge in new betting launches as operators find it more appealing to do so without requiring in-person registration.
In October, Illinois recorded a handle of $840.4 million. With the reintroduction of online registration in March, the state is on track to potentially surpass $1 billion in total bets.
Wintrust Arena is now eligible to apply for a sports betting license following changes in the law. Chicago recently lifted its sports betting ban through an ordinance, paving the way for Wintrust to potentially open a retail sportsbook in the near future.
