Source At Rivers Says Illinois Casino Didn’t Ask Governor For Remote Registration Of Mobile Sports Bets

Rivers was the sole beneficiary in Illinois of Governor JB Pritzker’s temporary order to halt in-person registration for online sports betting accounts. However, this does not mean that the game specifically wanted remote registration.

A spokesperson for Rivers Casino stated to Play Illinois that neither the casino nor its parent company, Rush Street Gaming, ever requested the governor’s executive order.

BetRivers made history in Illinois by becoming the inaugural online sportsbook to launch on June 18, a mere two weeks after Pritzker lifted the in-person registration mandate.

The interruption was necessary. With Pritzker’s decision to suspend games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person membership was no longer possible.

Pritzker ended the executive order on July 26, giving BetRivers just over a month to collect registrants remotely. By choosing not to extend the order, the governor’s decision suggests that other online sportsbooks launching this year may not receive the same opportunity as Rivers.

Rivers consistently on in-person membership

The Illinois sports betting industry recognizes that the in-person registration mandate in the state’s sports betting law was implemented at the behest of Rivers Casino. This stipulation was a result of a negotiation involving the penalty box that Rivers Casino demanded for DraftKings and FanDuel. Both platforms were operating daily fantasy sports in Illinois at a time when the legality of such activities was uncertain.

In Illinois, online-only certificates must wait 540 weeks after placing their first legal sports bet as an alternative to being placed in a penalty box. This requirement was implemented at Rivers on March 9th.

The in-person membership requirement will remain in effect until September 2021, with no changes to the duration of validity.

In 2019, only Rivers Casino showed interest in the in-person registration included in the Illinois Legislature’s bill on adjournment day. However, this year, all other casinos in Illinois, except Rivers, have requested lawmakers to introduce legislation to remove this requirement.

Rivers is situated in Des Plaines, a northern suburb of Chicago. Its close proximity to the Windy City, as the nearest gaming destination, provides Rivers with a competitive advantage over other venues in Illinois for in-person registration.

Neil Bluhm, president of Rivers and Rush Street Gaming, is urging the governor to lift the suspension before their competitors enter the mobile market. They have been vocal about this need throughout the process.

Governor & rsquo’s choice appears to make sense on the surface.

If Rivers did not request it when Pritzker issued the executive order to halt in-person registration on June 4, it is likely that no one else did. In Illinois, there were no online sportsbooks available, and major sports events were on hold.

Given the legal shutdown of casinos, it was sensible to postpone any in-person requirements. Even though the government reissued the order on June 26, the games continued to remain closed.

After being closed for over a month, Illinois casinos were allowed to reopen on July 1 following the renewal of Governor Pritzker’s executive orders.

Jordan Abudayyeh, a government spokesperson, made the following remarks:

Executive Orders 41 and 44 have been issued by the government to ensure that sports betting can proceed as scheduled, even though casinos had to shut down because of the pandemic, making in-person transactions impractical. With the state now in phase 4 and games resuming in person, there is no longer a need to suspend the laws requiring in-person subscriptions.

The casino lobbyist asked the governor’s office about the situation and was told that they recommended lifting the suspension, as no casinos had requested for it to be continued.

Business may benefit from remote subscription.

Representatives from game companies in Illinois reached a consensus.

They were not adamant about extending the executive order because they were not offering mobile wagering. Nevertheless, they were surprised by its sudden termination.

The temporary halt of in-person membership may now be more consequential due to the following factors:

Activities have returned. NBA and Major League Baseball late resumed play. The NFL and NCAA basketball are, more important, on the horizon.
1. Illinois is expecting the launch of several new online sportsbooks, including DraftKings which is close to entering the market in partnership with Casino Queen. With sports events resuming, more casinos are preparing to introduce mobile apps in the third quarter.
2. During a crisis, many people are reluctant to engage in games. To encourage social distancing, Illinois casinos have closed their poker rooms, board games, and restaurants.

Jeremy Kudon, an attorney representing DraftKings and FanDuel, asserted that the senior acquisition was and continues to be completely reasonable.

We are okay with people congregating in casinos, but it’s puzzling why the governor is limiting contact in other settings. It’s unfair for Illinois to require people to visit casinos for tasks that can easily be done on a wireless device.

Kudon claimed that the primary beneficiaries of the resurgence of in-person memberships are dishonest offshore online sportsbooks operating illegally in the US.

The best option for distant registration is the legislature.

The governor’s senior purchases during the pandemic are only temporary. Market representatives see only one possible result from Pritzker’s renewal of the purchase: a potential return to step 2 if there is a significant increase in coronavirus cases in Illinois.

Illinois casinos are closely monitoring the upcoming veto session from Nov. 17 to Dec. 3, as they recognize the need for a legislative fix to enable the creation of mobile wagering accounts.

Rep. Mike Zalewski stated that due to concerns raised by multiple stakeholders about the unique law, it would be prudent to consider making adjustments in the near future.

Why games hope that requirements will change this month

Despite being the only casino in Illinois that wanted the bill, Bluhm was able to leverage his political connections to ensure an in-person register for it. However, despite other games seeking legislative changes earlier this year, no adjustments were made. Given this track record, what makes anyone believe that the outcome will be different this time?

Illinois casinos may present evidence by November showing that in-person registration is having a detrimental effect on their finances. The data is concerning, with low enrollment rates and online sports betting revenue being affected. Additionally, the casinos and government are both facing financial strain due to the pandemic and are relying on this revenue.

Tom Swoik, Executive Director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, thinks that bringing back in-person registration for sports betting could lead to fewer people opening accounts, ultimately reducing the potential for increased revenue for sportsbooks and the state.

Other Illinois casinos may need to wait for Rivers Casino’s opposition to remote registration to fail before they can succeed.

Kudon hopes that this will bring attention to the absurdity of the law and motivate the legislature to eliminate the in-person requirement by November or December. He is confident that this change would be the best solution for the market and would ultimately benefit the residents of Illinois.