10 Days And Counting: Will COVID-19 Surge Keep Illinois Mobile Registration Alive?

On Aug. 21, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzkertemporarily lifted the in-person sports betting registration requirement until Sept. 19.

What transpires on September 19, though?

The Pritzker administration has been tight-lipped on the matter. Since June, Illinois sports bettors have endured toggling back and forth between in-person and mobile registration.

The flip-flopping is COVID-19 related, and Pritzker’s decision should hinge on the state’s situation. We also know that Rush Street Gaming (parent company of BetRivers) has long lobbied for in-person registration and is politically influential.

But if we’re simply going by the latest coronavirus numbers in Illinois, it’s tough to justify a return to the in-person registration mandate.

The common case for seven days is at its highest point since May.

On Sept. 8, Illinois’ rolling seven-day new case average was 2,262.

That was the highest number of cases since May 24 up until September. & nbsp, Illinois & rsquo’s outlook on August 21 may be more pertinent to the subject at hand. The rolling seven-day new case average for & nbsp was 1, 891, or nearly 400 fewer cases than on September 8.

Pritzker decided not to renew the executive order authorizing smart registration on July 26 for future reference. The regular number of new cases over the following seven days was 1, 407.

It’s important to note that increased tests has contributed to some of this. The state & rsquo’s positivity rate was 3.7 % on July 26. & nbsp, That number increased from 4.3 % on August 21 to an even 4 % as of September 8.

Although they were lowest in July, the number of COVID – 19-related murders is basically constant throughout this time.

However, if you’re looking at the positivity rate and deaths, Illinois & rsquo’s COVID – 19 outlook is at best about the same as it was on August 21. At worst, one could counter that Illinois & rsquo cases are on the rise while death spikes are lagging behind.

The worst areas in Illinois and Quebec have games.

Regions 4 and 7 are currently the most problematic for Illinois & rsquo. The Metro East and South Suburban regions, respectively, are & nbsp.

DraftKings at Casino Queen and Argosy Casino Alton, who both have retail sportsbooks, lie in Region 4. DraftKings is particularly relevant here, as it has DraftKings mobile sportsbook. And Argosy will eventually have an online offering via Unibet.

Region 7 is home to the Hollywood Casino Joliet and the Harrah & rsquo Casino. The original operates a physical betting.

Region 4’s latest reported positivity rate was 9.8%, the highest of any region. Checking in at the second-highest was Region 7 at 7.4%.

As such, the state recently implemented mitigation efforts for those regions. Their casinos are only allowed to have patrons at 25% capacity (50% in the rest of the state). They are also limited to the daily hours of 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The website for the Illinois Gaming Board & nbsp reads:

Over the course of a 14-day monitoring period, & ldquo, IDPH( Illinois Department of Public Health ) will monitor the positivity rate in Regions 4 and 7 to determine whether countermeasures can be relaxed, whether more moderation is necessary, and whether current prevention should be maintained. If the average enthusiasm rate is lower than or equal to Over the course of 14 days, the area may return to the original Phase 4 advice or a modified version as necessary. The new countermeasures will continue to be in place if the positivity rate averages between 6.5 percent and 8 %. & rdquo,

More severe countermeasures will be used to further stop the virus’s multiply, the statement continues, if the positivity rate is higher than or equal to 8 % after 14 days. & rdquo,

Region 4 is trending in that direction if its enthusiasm level continues.

repercussions for Illinois activities gambling

Whether or not the smart registration windows is left opened, it could have a big impact on Illinois sports betting.

The biggest winners in the event that the screen shut are BetRivers and PointsBet bookmakers.

Rivers Casino is in an ideal location in Des Plaines, while PointsBet has partnered with Hawthorne Racecourse, which would have various registration options around Chicago. PointsBet Sportsbook is expected to launch soon and is probably in a decent spot, either way, considering its lucrative NBC deal and unique betting experience.

The biggest winners in a mobile registration environment are DraftKings at Casino Queen, FanDuel and other new apps that pop up. Oh, and the consumer.

Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic over the past six months has demonstrated how absurd it is to send people to a physical location for no reason at all, according to Cory Fox, FanDuel’s vice president of government affairs and solution counsel. & ldquo, Simply destroying the market, but also introducing risk where none exists. & rdquo,

The state & rsquo’s gaming environment depends on the upcoming 10 days and possibly longer.