Which Sportsbooks Have Eyes On The No. 2 Sports Betting Bachelor?

Illinois climbed to the position of the second largest sports betting market in the US in April, with a handle of $537.2 million. Despite this achievement, it still lagged behind New Jersey, which remained the leader in total money wagered.

Hence, with this information, sportsbooks will be eager to enter the Illinois market. At present, Illinois only has six online sportsbooks, a number that pales in comparison to other states with legalized sports betting.

In summary, Illinois is a complicated state. The requirement for registering in person will continue until 2022. Additionally, current operators have a major advantage from the seven-month online registration process.

However, the significant potential profits make it sensible for external casino operators to keep an eye on Illinois’ actions.

The number of potential new casinos in Illinois is on the rise. The information we have about potential new books that may be published in the Prairie State is limited.

Illinois candidates for BetMGM and Unibet are still pending.

According to the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) website, BetMGM and Unibet are the only companies currently awaiting approval for a mobile license.

Since autumn, we have been aware of their interest.

Nevertheless, the profit generated from in-person membership exceeded that of both of their programs.

Unibet had initially reached a market access agreement with Argosy Casino Alton, but following Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s decision to end online registrations, Unibet informed Play Illinois that it would need to reevaluate its launch plans in the state. Despite several months passing since then, there have been no further updates from Unibet.

Yet, BetMGM continues to be mysterious. There were rumors circulating that it was in talks to form a business partnership with Par-A-Dice Casino, as both companies have ties to Boyd Gaming.

Nevertheless, with in-person registration becoming available in the upcoming months, BetMGM is contemplating applying for a future winter license that will specifically cater to wireless devices. With their substantial financial backing, BetMGM appears willing to cover the $20 million fee for an online-exclusive license.

When the IGB issues a certificate, it requires everyone to register remotely.

There are still more casinos in the arms.

Golden Nugget, theScore Bet, and The Bally Bet are all eager to enter the sports gambling market in Illinois.

This is what we understand about each individual.

The Bally Bet

Bally’s had a busy IGB meeting where they officially acquired Jumer’s Casino & Hotel, making them the new owners.

BallyBet Casino has been approved for a financial sports gambling permit, allowing them to offer in-person sports betting soon. Additionally, the casino will also be expanding into online betting activities.

With its significant investment in acquiring certain Fox Sports local networks, Bally Bet is expected to make a big impact in multiple markets. However, the brand may not be as familiar to residents of Illinois, where local sports in Chicago are typically aired on NBC Sports Chicago or Marquee Sports.

At present, The Bally Bet is exclusively available in Colorado, with plans to expand to additional states in the near future.

TheScore Bet & nbsp,

TheScore Bet and Joliet Casino have a market entry agreement in place. With the approval of its financial sports betting license by the IGB, TheScore Bet is on track to launch a physical betting service at Joliet Casino in the near future.

theScore Bet has not yet applied for a license for online betting. Given its recent market access agreement with Harrah’s, it is unlikely that they will prioritize obtaining a mobile-only license.

The Golden Nugget

Out of all the sportsbooks we have talked about, Golden Nugget offers the most fascinating possibilities.

The company president stated in a recent earnings call that Golden Nugget plans to launch online sports betting in Illinois in the fourth quarter of 2021, but currently, this scenario appears unlikely.

Golden Nugget has finalized a market access agreement with the upcoming Danville casino. Despite the fact that the casino in Danville has not been constructed yet, plans for its development are in progress and expected to be completed in several years.

In the interim, it appears that Golden Nugget may be considering applying for a mobile-only license. These programs are expected to be ready by December.

Alternatively, Golden Nugget may have a separate market access agreement in the works that has not yet been disclosed to either party.