A gambling analyst said Illinois is on a fast track to leading the nation in gambling revenue with the passing of new measures by lawmakers.
A bill headed to the governor’s desk would set a March 5 deadline for the Illinois Gaming Board to allow sports betters to register online. Under the existing law, the in-person registration requirement would be lifted when the Illinois Gaming Board issues the first of three online-only sportsbook licenses created by the 2019 law.
“Right now there are only six sportsbooks,” said Joe Boozell, lead analyst with PlayIllinois.com. “I expect that number to double by the end of 2022 because no sportsbook really wants to launch if there is not an online registration.”
