Where Online Gambling Bills Stand In The 2023 Illinois Legislative Session

Several online gambling and problem gambling bills are presently navigating through the Illinois Legislature. Some of them are making progress, while others seem to be failing.

These measures tackle several key issues including the legalization of online casinos, addressing problem gambling, and determining whether Illinois residents can bet on local college teams.

Play Illinois conducted an investigation to determine the status of all seven bills. We will inform you about their current position, their projected path, and the probability of their enactment into law.

Problem gambling bill making the most progress

SB 1508, a bill addressing problem gambling, has advanced the furthest in the legislative process. Having already been passed in the State Senate, it is currently under review by state representatives in the House. The bill has undergone two readings on the House floor and has been approved by the House Gaming Committee.

Should the bill be approved, Illinois sportsbooks would be mandated to send hourly pop-up messages to bettors, informing them of their total wager amount. The pop-up would contain hyperlinks and phone numbers directing them to resources for problem gambling in Illinois. This would significantly simplify the process of seeking assistance for individuals grappling with problem gambling.

The likelihood of this bill being enacted into law is extremely high. It garnered unanimous support in the Illinois Senate and appears to face minimal opposition in the Illinois House.

SB323 and SB1462 hit roadblocks in the State House

Neither SB323 nor SB1462 have experienced any progress in the last fortnight. They are both at a standstill after being re-referred by the House Gaming Committee to the House Rules Committee.

SB323 alters the renewal fees paid by Illinois sportsbook operators for their licenses. The fees paid to the Illinois Gaming Board would shift from an annual $150,000 to $50,000 every four years.

SB1462, meanwhile, revamps the eligibility criteria for individuals with criminal records who are seeking an occupational license. The IGB is mandated to examine the specifics of the individual’s criminal history, such as the time elapsed since conviction, the number of convictions, and the severity of the charges.

These two measures face an uncertain future. Each has only been read once on the House floor, and they are likely to require approval from both the Rules and Gaming Committees before a vote can occur. However, with the current legislative session rapidly approaching its end, a frantic effort would be needed to advance these bills.

Three online casino bills could be dead in the water

Hopes for legal online casinos in Illinois this year seem to have been thwarted. Both HB2239 and HB2320 are legislative measures that aim to establish the Internet Gaming Act. However, since its referral to the House Rules Committee in mid-March, HB2239 hasn’t moved. Meanwhile, HB2320 has been languishing in the Rules Committee since its introduction by State Representative Jonathan Carroll on February 14.

Joe Tabor, the director of policy research at the Illinois Policy Institute, stated that bills usually don’t manage to escape once they get stuck in the House Rules Committee.

“Tabor stated, “[Bills] often end up in the House Rules Committee where, historically, they have been known to fail.”

Similarly, the Internet Gaming Act’s Senate version, introduced by State Sen. Cristina Castro on Feb. 8, has also hit a roadblock. SB1655 is still stuck in the Senate Executive Committee, where Castro is the chairwoman.

The atmosphere here is suggesting a “better luck next year” scenario. It appears as though it’s time to leave legal online casinos behind us.

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

The bill that results in the ‘Jordan Shrug’ leaves no evident clue as to its final destination, causing me to respond with the iconic ‘I don’t know’ gesture of shrugging my arms.

Last month, State Representative Jonathan Carroll presented HB4041 in the House. This bill will let online sportsbooks in Illinois accept bets on sports events involving Illinois collegiate teams, provided the bet is a tier 1 wager and does not concern an individual athlete’s performance. Although it is legal for residents to place bets on Illinois collegiate teams, they can only do so in person at a brick-and-mortar sportsbook.

Currently, this bill is – no surprise – stalled in the House Rules Committee. The fate of this bill ultimately depends on its place in the priority list of state legislators. There’s a possibility that it may get entangled with other bills that are swiftly advanced towards the end of the legislative session. However, it could just as readily slip through the cracks.

Regardless of the circumstances, the clock is ticking for these bills to be enacted into law. The 2023 Illinois Legislative session is due to conclude on May 31. Nevertheless, both the House and Senate are set to adjourn on May 19. This leaves legislators just over a week from today to determine how to handle the numerous measures on their plates.