
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered on Thursday evening that bettors no longer have to register for their online sports betting accounts at a casino. Effective immediately, bettors in Illinois can create their sports betting accounts online.
Gov. Pritzker’s executive order comes a few weeks before Illinois sportsbooks hope to launch their mobile sports betting apps.
“During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, the provisions in the Sports Wagering Act…requiring in-person creation of a sports wagering account and a facility authorized pursuant to the act in order to participate in sports wagering offered over the Internet or through mobile application, are suspended,” Gov. Pritzker’s executive order reads.
When passed, one of the first provisions in Illinois’ sports betting law is an 18-month transition period for bettors to open online betting accounts in-person at a physical casino location. The provision meant to keep DraftKings’ and FanDuel’s sportsbooks on the sideline due to the state’s anti-daily fantasy sports stance.
The suspension of the in-person registration provides a path for both companies to enter the Illinois’ sports betting market sooner.
See our comprehensive guide to Online Sports Gambling In Illinois for more information.
Illinois Casinos Ready Sportsbooks For late-June Opening
Illinois sportsbooks are now waiting for the go-ahead from the state to open their sports betting mobile apps. With the NBA and the NHL hoping to start their playoffs in July, Illinois sportsbooks are preparing their rollout for later this month.
Before the Covid-19 shutdown, the Rivers Casino and the Argosy, were the only two Illinois casinos offering sports betting. Four other casinos, the Casino Queen, the Grand Victoria, the Par-A-Dice, and the Hollywood, own provisional operating sportsbook permits.
None of the six casinos, however, are licensed to offer online casinos in Illinois at this time. This restriction could change with next week’s meeting of the Illinois Gaming Board.
On June 11, the IGB plan to hand out the first online sports betting licenses. Eyes are on the Rivers Casino, who run their own mobile app, to be the state’s first online sportsbook.
Bonus.com reached out to the Governor’s office for further comment, but did not receive a response at press time.