Where Online Gambling Bills Stand In The 2023 Illinois Legislative Session

Various online gambling and problem gambling bills are currently moving through the Illinois Legislature. While some are advancing, others appear to be stalling.

These measures address important matters such as the legalization of online casinos, the prevention of problem gambling, and the consideration of allowing Illinois residents to wager on local college teams.

Play Illinois conducted an investigation to assess the progress of all seven bills. We will provide updates on their current status, their expected trajectory, and the likelihood of them being passed into law.

Problem gambling bill making the most progress

SB 1508, a bill aimed at tackling the issue of problem gambling, has made significant progress in the legislative process. Following its approval in the State Senate, the bill is now being reviewed by lawmakers in the House. It has undergone two readings on the House floor and has received approval from the House Gaming Committee.

If the bill is passed, Illinois sportsbooks will be required to send hourly pop-up messages to bettors, informing them of their total wager amount and providing hyperlinks and phone numbers to resources for problem gambling in Illinois. This change aims to make it easier for individuals struggling with problem gambling to seek assistance.

The chances of this bill becoming law are very high, as it received unanimous support in the Illinois Senate and is expected to encounter little opposition in the Illinois House.

SB323 and SB1462 hit roadblocks in the State House

Both SB323 and SB1462 have not made any progress in the past two weeks. They remain stagnant after being referred back to the House Rules Committee by the House Gaming Committee.

SB323 changes the license renewal fees for Illinois sportsbook operators. Instead of paying $150,000 annually to the Illinois Gaming Board, operators would now pay $50,000 every four years.

SB1462, on the other hand, updates the requirements for individuals with criminal backgrounds applying for an occupational license. The IGB is required to review the details of the person’s criminal record, including the time that has passed since the conviction, the amount of convictions, and the seriousness of the charges.

The fate of these two measures is uncertain as they have only been introduced on the House floor once and may need approval from both the Rules and Gaming Committees before a vote can take place. As the current legislative session nears its end, there would need to be a frantic push to move these bills forward.

Three online casino bills could be dead in the water

Hopes for the legalization of online casinos in Illinois this year appear to have been dashed. The legislative measures HB2239 and HB2320, which seek to establish the Internet Gaming Act, have not made any progress. HB2239 has been stagnant in the House Rules Committee since mid-March, while HB2320, introduced by State Representative Jonathan Carroll on February 14, has also been languishing in the Rules Committee.

Joe Tabor, director of policy research at the Illinois Policy Institute, noted that bills often struggle to move forward after becoming trapped in the House Rules Committee.

Tabor noted that bills frequently make their way to the House Rules Committee, where they have a history of not passing.

In the same way, the Senate version of the Internet Gaming Act, proposed by State Sen. Cristina Castro on Feb. 8, has encountered a barrier. SB1655 remains stalled in the Senate Executive Committee, which is chaired by Castro.

The atmosphere indicates that it may be best to move on from legal online casinos, with a feeling of “better luck next year” looming over us.

Big question mark on bill allowing online wagers on in-state teams

The legislation that leads to the creation of the ‘Jordan Shrug’ does not provide any clear indication of where it is headed, prompting me to react with the famous shrug and saying “I don’t know.”

State Representative Jonathan Carroll introduced HB4041 in the House last month. The proposed bill would allow online sportsbooks in Illinois to accept tier 1 wagers on sports events involving Illinois collegiate teams, as long as the bets do not pertain to individual athlete performances. Currently, residents are only able to place bets on Illinois collegiate teams in person at physical sportsbooks.

This bill is currently stuck in the House Rules Committee, as expected. Its fate hinges on where it falls on the list of priorities for state legislators. It may become caught up with other bills being rushed through at the end of the legislative session, or it could easily be forgotten.

The deadline is approaching for these bills to become law, with the 2023 Illinois Legislative session scheduled to end on May 31. However, both the House and Senate plan to adjourn on May 19, giving legislators just over a week to decide on the many measures before them.