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If you want to start betting sports from Illinois online, you'll first need to register in person at one of a handful of on-site establishments or otherwise continue betting with sites based outside the US.
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Two weeks Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law authorizing a massive expansion of gambling in the state, including a downtown casino at a yet-to-be-determined location.
Now we are starting to get a glimpse of how sports wagering in the state will evolve.
Bets can be taken at venues such as arenas, ball parks, horse tracks and casino with a capacity of at least 17,000 people.
Each location will have to receive a separate license from the Gaming Board.
License holders can operate online, however, gamblers will initially need to register at a bricks-and-mortar facility to open an account. Three online-only sportsbook licenses will be created 18 months after the first license is issued, presumably offering registration via the Web as they won't be tied to a bricks-and-mortar.
Draftkings and FanDuel are prohibited from operating within the initial 18 months as those two firms have been cited for offering their product in states where daily fantasy sports contests were deemed to be unlawful.
Bettors must be 21 or older, and wagering on college teams from Illinois is prohibited.
The first sports bet probably won't be taken until the NFL Playoffs.
The new law does not set hard deadlines for the state Gaming Board to issue new sports betting licenses. The application deadline for the three online-only sportsbooks will be roughly 18 months after the first license is issued. The online licenses will be awarded through a competitive bidding process.
Additionally, the Illinois Lottery will run a pilot program for sports betting terminals at lottery retailers with a company to be chosen to run the central system. Once this occurs, terminals will be placed at 2,500 locations in the first year. Another 2,500 will be allowed the following year, and the test will expire Jan. 1, 2024.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
