Hollywood Casinos Welcome Two More Sportsbooks To Illinois Stage

The number of financial casinos in Illinois that were open for business increased from four to six on Thursday.

Two Hollywood game sportsbooks began taking bets at kiosks and gambling windows.

Currently, there are no plans for online betting at the Aurora and Joliet casinos. Nonetheless, this could potentially change in the future due to an agreement made earlier this year by Penn National Gaming.

The landscape of online sports betting shifted on Friday evening when Gov. JB Pritzker rescinded the requirement for in-person registration.

information on the newest Hollywood game casinos

Customers at both estates can now place bets on site. Both components launched their sportsbooks at 11 a.m. CST on August 20. The experience bettors expect from a physical casino can be found at both locations.

The casino and game floor are both situated in Aurora. The property now boasts four gambling windows and three kiosks. Furthermore, there is a compact seating area available where gamblers can enjoy watching live activities.

Currently, the Joliet model features five kiosks and no windows. Adjacent to the 99 Hops House bar, there are 40 viewing screens for enthusiasts.

You can use the kiosks (and windows in Aurora) whenever the games are accessible. In Aurora, they are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays, and from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Joliet & rsquo operates seven days a week from 8 am to 4 am. Currently, both services enforce safety regulations for visitors, which includes mandatory face masks and limited amenities.

Penn National, which operates both components located 45 minutes outside of Chicago, may be implementing some changes soon. This could include the introduction of a partner for virtual gambling.

How Penn might employ its master’s permit going forward

Penn has entered into contracts with various online casino operators in multiple states, such as DraftKings in Indiana, to sustain online betting. However, its operations in Illinois may take a distinctive direction.

In January, Penn National purchased a portion of the contentious BarstoolSports brand. The aim is to ultimately develop a sports betting product, prominently featuring that brand. However, there is currently no Barstool Sports app available.

In the future, the financial casinos in Aurora and Joliet could potentially be involved in that project. However, Penn has not yet made any plans to do so, even though it could be an internal issue.

Financial betting remains an expensive commodity in Illinois. According to state law, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) is exclusively authorized to issue three licenses for online use only. However, the IGB can only exercise this function 540 days following the initiation of the first in-person bet, which took place on March 9 at BetRivers Sportsbook.

Additionally, purchasing those independent certificates cost $10 million. Due to these factors, it is simpler and more cost-effective for online casino operators to enter Illinois by partnering with a hospital in the Prairie State.

The advantage of Penn collaborating with an online casino partner where it has an interest should become apparent. Essentially, what is beneficial for one party may also be advantageous for the other.

Penn is currently focused on ensuring the smooth operation of the Wholesale casinos in Illinois’ Hollywood properties. However, the negative perception of those books may experience a substantial shift in the near future.