Mobile Registration Returning to Illinois
The Illinois sports betting industry is about to see a major boost yet again, but the chance won’t take place until March 5, 2022. It is at that time that online sportsbooks will once again be able to accept new customers online or through a mobile sportsbook app.
Mobile Registration Returning to Illinois
Illinois is one of just two states that currently has an in-person registration requirement in place, and it has hurt the overall growth of the industry. House Bill 3136 recognized the need to remove this restriction and it passed both chambers of the General Assembly last week.
Governor J.B. Pritzker has to sign the bill before it becomes an official law, but he is expected to do so soon. It was Governor Pritzker that bailed online sportsbooks out last summer by issuing an Executive Order.
Executive Order 2020-41 removed the in-person registration requirement to allow online sportsbooks to get a jumpstart during the COVID-19 pandemic. That executive order was extended several times before it eventually went away in April.
Illinois will also begin accepting applications for a mobile-only sports betting license soon. The prior law required potential operators to partner with a casino before earning entry into the state.
Wintrust Arena Can Offer Betting
Another interesting wrinkle to the updated sports betting bill is that Wintrust Arena can now apply for a retail sports betting license. Wintrust is the home of the Chicago Sky, the 2021 WNBA championship team.
When gaming was initially expanded all the way back in 2019, there was a provision to allow for betting in and around major professional sports stadiums. The initial law stated that the stadiums must have a capacity of at least 17,000 people, but that limited the number of potential options.
Retail sports betting at stadiums in Illinois has not yet launched, but that is expected to change at some point in 2022. Places such as Wrigley Field and the United Center have started to get things in place to launch a retail sportsbook.
Still Waiting on September Results
The Illinois Gaming Board is always one of the last to announce sports betting totals from the previous month, and that is the case again for September. States all across the country have been seeing huge sports betting numbers, and Illinois is expected to follow suit.
New Jersey had a sports betting handle of more than $1 billion in September, becoming the first state to do so. Nevada also set a new state record in September as its total sports betting handle was $786.5 million.
Illinois has been in the second or third spot for much of 2021, but the lack of remote registration could allow other markets to pass up the Land of Lincoln. The September sports betting report should be announced at some point in mid-November.
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