Pritzker Maintains Stay-At-Home Message, Extends Mobile Sports Betting Registration
Executive order 2020-41remains in place until at least Dec. 12. And based on the latest COVID-19 case numbers topping 15,000 in Illinois, it appears likely that the extension will run into the new year.
The 2019 Illinois Gambling Act states that people must visit a sports betting operator’s retail facility to sign up for at least the first 18 months that the operator is live. But COVID-19 nipped that plan in the bud pretty quickly. The in-person registration mandate hasn’t been in effect since August, which has been a boon to the Illinois sports betting market.
Did Pritzker order be used by new providers?
Surprisingly, the last online sportsbook to launch was William Hill in mid-September. Since then, it’s been crickets in the Land of Lincoln.
We know of at least three operators who would like to join the fray: Unibet, Barstool and BetMGM sportsbooks.
Unibet told Play Illinois in October that it plans to launch in Illinois in early 2021, pending Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) approval. It has market access with Argosy Casino Alton.
Barstool is reportedly also aiming for an Illinois start in early 2021. For industry access, it will probably set up with one or both Hollywood casinos.
The plans of BetMGM & rsquo are still unknown, but it has applied for an Illinois sports betting license. However, it does not yet have a financial lover, and there are few options on that front.
The continued willingness of Pritzker & rsquo to expand mobile registration appears to be a window of opportunity for the launch of new Illinois sportsbooks. However, they weren’t expecting weeks of online membership capacity in soon 2020, and the IGB authorization procedure is still difficult.
Illinois’s COVID – 19 perspective
Similar to the US as a whole, Illinois has set daily records of COVID-19 cases in November.
Positivity rates are also the highest they’ve been since May, and daily death counts are as high as they’ve ever been since June. The state has recently imposed further restrictions on casinos, as well. Capacity is now limited to 25% at eight of Illinois’ 10 casinos.
Most casinos have had a 50 % power during the crisis. Additionally, games are now dealing with shortened time because the majority of them are only available from 6 a.m. to 11 o’clock.
Companies for domestic food and drink have also been halted. With indoor dining service shut down in the Prairie State as of November 4, the plan is consistent with the most recent Pritzker purchases as a whole.
In essence, given the current state of public health, it would be foolish to make people register for sports betting at a game.
That & rsquo has been accurate for a while, but especially in light of this writing.
