States
Illinois
Illinois legalized sports betting on June 28, 2019. The legalization process began in 2018. After multiple proposed bills, the Sports Wagering Act was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker. The Illinois Gaming Board was granted the power to be the governing body over legal sports betting in the state. The first bet was made on March 9, 2020 at BetRivers Sportsbook at the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. Online sports betting didn’t launch until the early summer months. The Illinois sports betting industry has made a meteoric rise in its brief history. Sports betting conglomerates like DraftKings, FanDuel, and William Hill have all entered the state. There are a total of five online sportsbooks with more expected in the near future. There are also eight retail sportsbooks in the state. There has been close to $1 billion in bets placed since March 9, 2020. This substantial figure was supported by a summer and fall sports betting surge in Illinois.
