Gambling in the USA. After the US Supreme Court approval of the gambling law in 2018, the act has seen up to 20 states so far legalize online betting. In the remaining states, the bill has been introduced but yet to be passed.
However, Utah, Alaska, Idaho, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Wyoming states have laws prohibiting full-blown sports betting. Utah, for instance, is unlikely to legalize sports betting due to its anti-gambling stance that's written in the constitution.
That aside, Illinois State passed the sports betting laws on 28th June 2019 after Governor J.B. Pritzker's signature on sports wagering. The move aims at significantly expanding casino and video gaming as well as authorizing sports wagering in the state.
Illinois Wagering Rules
As it is the case with many gambling directions, people need to get familiar with the in-house restrictions. Below are some of the rules that players should adhere to when gambling in Illinois;
- In-person registration requirements are still intact until mobile licenses get approved.
- There is a 15% tax rate on the earnings from sports betting, as seen on WeeklySlotsNews, and an extra 2% of ARG on bets place within Cook County jurisdictions.
- There is no wagering on sports involving in-state schools
- Illinois gambling rule demands a 5-block range for betting around sports venues and integrates geofencing for mobile wagering.
- The law also established limits on automated kiosks to ensure they don't accept bets above $100 and can't redeem payouts exceeding $500.
What to Expect After Gambling Legalization in Illinois
The state's huge population and a wide variety of legal gambling options come as a big advantage to casino development. Below are some of the expected impacts of betting legalization in Illinois.
Increase in Video Gaming Centers
The legalization of gambling laws could see the addition of thousands of video games in the state. Currently, there are over 35,000 slot and poker machines in licensed bars, restaurants, and fraternal organizations.
Over the past seven years, video games have generated more revenue than casinos in the state. Now with the new law, Illinois' 7,241 video gaming locations can operate in 6 terminals, from the previous 5, while truck stops can now carry 10 slot machines; double the previous figure.
New Casinos
Casino revenues have been declining over the years, and the state now aims to add six new casinos. Over ten applications have been sent, although the state's 33.33% gambling tax seems to be a stumbling block to many developers.
Online Sports Betting
Even though sports betting is legal in Illinois, online sports betting remains challenging owing to the many restrictions that have been put in place. These include the lack of remote application services and the use of geofencing technology.
As a result, Illinois still falls behind when compared to states that do not majorly restrict online betting. Such states, for instance, Indiana, have seen over 60% of their $147 million gambling revenues from online betting, as seen on the Chicago Tribune.
Other Legal Betting Activities in Illinois
With the first online sports betting app yet to be approved, there are lots of legal betting activities you can be involved in for a similar experience. These range from fantasy sports, online lottery, and horse racing.
Horse Racing
The practice is completely legal in Illinois, and players are free to wager at racetracks, OTB locations, as well as authorized betting sites. Online race betting is also open to those over 18 years of age, and the state keeps an updated list of legally approved sites to wager.
For those interested in betting at racetracks, there are three permanent racetracks for live races, and three fairs for hosting live harness yearly. Below is a list of these permanent parks and fairs;
- Arlington Park
- Fairmount Park
- Hawthorne Race Course
- Brown County Fair
- Illinois State Fair
- DuQuoin State Fair
The final option for horse race gamblers is off-track betting, OTB. There are over 24 licensed OTBs in the state, and these allow you to wager on horse races in different locations other than the actual racetrack.
Fantasy Sports
Fantasy sports are exempted from state regulations as they are skill-based games. This means that you can create an account, deposit, and win real money with ease in most states.
The best thing about fantasy sports is that you compete against human opponents and not skilled bookmakers. This increases your winning chances, especially if you spend considerable time improving your skills.
Lottery
Illinois launched the first online lottery in 2012 and became the first state to take its lottery to the internet. The act allowed those above 18 years to sign up and purchase tickets from sites such as Lotto, Mega Millions, and Powerball.
However, there are restrictions as only winnings below $600 are sent to your account directly. Those above $600 requires the state's authorization and instructions to claim your money.
That said, online gambling and online poker were added to a DFS bill in May 2017, and despite the bill winning a vote in the Senate, it still stalled in the house.
At the moment, Article 28 of the Illinois Criminal Code, prohibits wagering in games and playing poker. On the contrary, the state has never prosecuted anyone as a result of playing poker games online. In fact, the country is home to several high profile poker players.
However, we don't encourage anyone to play through offshore or illegal sites as there exist huge risks of account closure, which might make you lose your money. We highly encourage gambling fans to sign up and wager in popular and licensed sites such as Bovada.
Final Thoughts
Conclusively, the main benefit of gambling legalization in Illinois is boosting the less-yielding casinos. With the approval of online betting apps, there are hopes of increasing the state's betting-generated revenues.
However, there might be a need for the legislators to reconsider some of the enacted gambling rules as they highly hinder developers from getting into the market. These include the 33.33% gambling tax, among other things, although there is hope this might be solved. As seen on the Chicago Sun-Times, Illinois gaming board administrator, Marcus Fruchter, highlighted the importance of the public comment period in the establishment of a regulatory framework to approve sports wagering.
