Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature is the final step in establishing a definitive end date for in-person sports betting registration.
HB 3136 was passed by both the Senate and House on March 5, 2022, on a Thursday evening. The bill includes provisions allowing betting on in-state college teams, but stipulates that wagers must be made in person.
On Thursday, a significant milestone was reached in the Illinois sports betting sector, signaling important implications for the state’s gaming industry going forward.
Here are five ways HB 3136 will affect sports bettors in Illinois.
By March Madness, Illinois should be able to register for online sports betting.
If the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) had issued a mobile-only license before, the only available option would have been in-person registration.
Nevertheless, the $20 million price tag for each license raised concerns that there would be no bidders. This could have resulted in the continued requirement for in-person registration indefinitely.
The article outlines a specific deadline in the event that the trigger does not happen. You can read the full details below.
This is important. If you’ve been thinking about joining sports betting apps but haven’t taken the plunge yet, you will soon be able to do so without having to go to a physical sportsbook.
Illinois currently holds the third spot in the US sports betting market in terms of monthly handle. With the possibility of online registration being reintroduced, the state has the potential to surpass Nevada and reach second place. This could help Illinois work towards achieving a monthly handle of $1 billion in the near future.
You & rsquo will be able to wager on college teams in Illinois.
HB 3136 modifies the current regulation banning wagering on Illinois-based school teams.
Betting on teams like Illinois, Northwestern, DePaul, and others should be easily accessible, but only in compliance with legal regulations.
The gradual policy adjustment in Illinois may go unnoticed by most sports bettors until they visit retail sportsbooks at casinos or racetracks frequently. More details on this will be provided shortly.
Either way, a major change is on the horizon. Last year, Illinois was unable to legally bet on their team during the NCAA Tournament matchup against Loyola Chicago. But come 2022, that is all set to change.
The bill specifies that only pre-game bets are permitted, therefore live betting is prohibited.
Wintrust Arena may submit an application for a sports gambling certificate.
According to the 2019 gaming bill, Illinois sports venues had the opportunity to apply for sports betting licenses. However, Wintrust Arena, which hosts the reigning WNBA champion Chicago Sky, was not included in the list of eligible locations.
HB 3136 grants the right to submit a financial sports betting application to Wintrust Arena, along with other sports venues like the United Center, Soldier Field, Wrigley Field, and Guaranteed Rate Field.
Currently, none of those venues have applied yet. Certain policies in Chicago must be put in place before applications can be submitted, but this process should happen in the near future.
Michael Alter, the owner of Sky, has been persistent in his efforts to bring sports betting to Wintrust Arena. However, his determination resulted in a $5,000 fine from the city for lobbying without proper registration.
In the end, Alter achieved success and the bill now includes Wintrust Arena.
There ought to be more virtual casinos soon.
Illinois has been featured on six online casinos since March 2021, as launching a sportsbook in a physical registration setting can be difficult.
After having seven months to register users remotely under Pritzker’s executive order, companies like DraftKings and FanDuel saw little incentive to launch new sportsbooks once the order was lifted in April.
Starting in March 2022, there will be a shift in Illinois sports betting as companies such as BetMGM, Unibet, theScore Bet, Bally Bet, WynnBet, and Golden Nugget have expressed interest in entering the market. It is anticipated that there are other entities beyond those mentioned that are also looking to offer sports betting in Illinois.
In 2022, a fresh wave of bookmakers is set to launch, promising consumers a wider selection of options, increased promotional deals, a diverse range of betting lines, and more.
We are getting closer to placing institution team bets online.
Although the requirement for in-person betting may detract from the enjoyment of wagering on Illinois college teams, the progress towards full legalization represents a positive advancement in our development.
This summer, Rep. Michael Zalewski, who introduced the legislation, confirmed its presence to Play Illinois. If in-person betting on Illinois school teams is successful, there is hope that lawmakers may be more supportive of expanding the policy to online platforms.
Josh Whitman, the Athletic Director of Illinois, is the strongest opponent of the law and has managed to garner enough support from lawmakers to have a significant influence.
However, the majority of US states that permit legal sports betting also approve of mobile betting on their college teams. These markets have shown to be profitable, and therefore, residents of Illinois should also be given the chance to join in.
