Illinois sports betting remote registration fate rests with Governor Pritzker once more
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Illinois' mobile sports betting remains on a roll, but the winds of change may blow in soon: Governor J.B. Pritzker needs to extend Executive Order 2020-41 for another round to keep the remote registration alive. With the latest extension of executive orders drawing to a close on Saturday, another extension is crucial to keep the show going.
Initial plans hinted that the in-person registration requirement - enshrined in the gaming expansion bill Pritzker signed back in June 2019 - might be addressed during the two veto sessions scheduled on Nov 17-19 and Dec 1-3. However, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan scrapped both sessions citing a spike in COVID-19 cases across Springfield and Illinois. The General Assembly will convene again only in January, when the 101st General Assembly wraps up its business before the 102nd swears in.
Standing tall amid the pandemic, remote registration has been a lifesaver for sports betting operators. Four casinos and a horse racing track - BetRivers, DraftKings, FanDuel, William Hill, and PointsBet - have thrived, offering a mobile component alongside their live sportsbooks. The still-nascent Illinois market is making its mark, one online handle at a time.
Pritzker first issued Executive Order 2020-41 on June 4, renewing it on June 26. After a brief lapse in July, he reinstated it again on Aug 21 via Executive Order 2020-52, following a DraftKings-led email campaign to its users. More recently, on Oct 16, he renewed 2020-41 again through Executive Order 2020-59.
Still not buzzing about September's sports betting numbers
Illinois has stolen the spotlight post-legalization, dubbed as a sleeping giant. Since its launch in March 2020 and the subsequent lockdowns, some spark flickered in the August sports betting revenue report. BetRivers, the sole mobile sportsbook operating that month, placed a staggering $106.3 million in online bets, as per the Illinois Gaming Board.
We're yet to catch a glimpse of the September numbers, but expectations run high for a significant increase. DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, and William Hill rolled out mobile operations during the month, supplementing BetRivers. Add to that a bursting schedule of US professional sports, and the likelihood of a fourth-place finish nationally among legal jurisdictions is quite real, trailing behind only New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
A double-edged sword: Mitigation measures
Three retail sportsbooks at Argosy Casino Alton, Hollywood Casinos in Joliet and Aurora operate under stringent COVID-19 mitigation measures. These measures restrict their operating hours and limit their capacity to 25%. While this curbs the potential for in-person signups for mobile wagering accounts, it also leads to a dip in overall casino revenue.
The Illinois Gaming Board reported a 25.9% decline in October casino revenue compared to the previous year, with slots and table games generating $79.1 million in revenue. Casino admissions took a hit too, with 556,382 patrons in October compared to 857,498 in 2019. The COVID-19 related mitigation measures played a significant role in this decline.
In essence, the road to mobile sports betting success in Illinois is filled with challenges, but the rewards are plenty. By navigating the complicated landscape of high licensing fees and stiff competition, Illinois' sports betting operators stand a solid chance of carving out a prominent place in the industry.
- The line between success and potential difficulties lies ahead for Illinois' mobile sports betting, as Governor J.B. Pritzker needs to renew Executive Order 2020-41 again to keep remote registration alive.
- Politicians in Illinois might be faced with tough decisions when revisiting the gaming expansion bill from June 2019 and addressing the in-person registration requirement for mobile wagering, which could have significant drawbacks for sports betting operators.
- Recent developments in sports-betting news highlight the involvement of Governor Pritzker, as he has renewed Executive Order 2020-41 several times, most recently on October 16, to ensure the success of sports betting in Illinois.
- Sports betting operators in Illinois are relying on mobile sports betting to stay ahead in a competitive landscape, with companies like BetRivers, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, and William Hill offering mobile wagering alongside their live sportsbooks.
- Despite Illinois being hailed as a sleeping giant in the industry since its launch in March 2020, the reality is that the road to success is fraught with challenges, such as high licensing fees and stringent COVID-19 mitigation measures in retail sportsbooks.
- As more operators join the mobile sports betting market in Illinois and a busy schedule of US professional sports approaches, the potential for increased revenue and a higher national ranking is high, but only if the political landscape remains supportive and the industry manages to navigate the complicated landscape effectively.
