Sports betting is growing popular but some jurisdictions have gone to great lengths to keep it out. In some areas, it is impossible to enjoy sports betting and this is making things tough on consumers. Nevertheless, the industry is pushing forward and it has found success in some locations. Illinois has become a hotbed for sports betting that this isn’t going to change. The state will continue pushing forward thanks to higher revenue and a growing customer base. Within this guide, you’re going to find out how about Illinois and how its sports betting industry changed in 2019.
Months Of Debates
First and foremost, it should be noted that sports betting experienced a bumpy ride in 2019. Legislators fought back and forth about the new legislation until they were finally able to reach an agreement. Representative Bob Rita and Senator Terry Link argued for hours until it finally ended when Governor JB Pritzker signed Illinois sports betting into law in June. That came after months of debates and arguments. It was a rough ride and nobody knew what to expect from the final bill.
After some misdirection, compromise, and hurt feelings, the state finally managed to cross the finish line and get sports betting signed into legislation. Just ten days before the deadline, Illinois joined the larger gaming expansion.
How It Happened
By May 21, Representatives Rita and Mike Zalewski met with Senators Anthony Munoz and Link. The group decided that it would be a good idea to combine legal sports betting with the bigger casino expansion bill. The Senate had been trying to pass the casino expansion for more than a decade. So, they felt now was the best time to move forward with it. Earlier, 25 senators sent a letter to the governor informing him that they would refuse to support standalone sports betting bill unless it included a gaming expansion. So, they knew gaming expansion would have to be a part of the bill.
Existing casinos in Illinois weren’t happy with the decision though. There were some stipulations as well. You can learn more about that at this site.
In Person Registration
While Illinois finally passed sports betting laws, those laws weren’t perfect. Some argue that they’re designed to prevent the industry from growing as quickly as it would otherwise. For instance, there is a requirement for people to register in person. This will last for the first 18 months or so. None of the casinos which are a part of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association wanted this stipulation and nobody is sure where that came from. Amendment 2 which was introduced by Representative Katie Stuart was the sole Amendment to mention in-person registration.
Nevertheless, that has been signed into law. If you want to gamble in Illinois, you’ll have to visit a facility to register. Once you’ve done that, you should be able to place wagers on any sporting event you wish.
Growth
Despite the Illinois Senate passing sports betting legislation, many believed that the industry would stall. And, more thought it would have something to do with the in-person registration requirement. This hasn’t happened. Operations applied to the Illinois Gaming Board and that cost around $10 million. The companies got their licenses before consumers were able to sign up. Surprisingly, it didn’t take long before consumers were signing up to get involved in the industry. Despite the fact that they had to visit facilities in person, they were doing so.
People were eager to enjoy sports betting and they were going to do it one way or another. Since the passage of this legislation, thousands of Illinois residents have signed up. There is a good chance that many will do so in the future as well. The industry is expanding and the growth will speed up in the future.
Revenue Growth
Thanks to the passage of sports betting legislation in Illinois, the state has experienced a massive tax revenue growth. That likely isn’t going to change. When the in-person registration requirement elapses, consumers will be able to register online. This means that they’ll no longer have to visit a facility. In return, this will increase the number of people signing up and playing on these sites. That will ensure that Illinois will be able to generate higher tax revenue than ever before. This will enable the state to pay for more social programs for its residents.
Thanks to the passage of this law, consumers can bet on sports in Illinois. And, the state can make a lot more money when they do.
