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Illinois is about to begin offering legalized sports betting with in-state licensed wagering sites. One will be able to place bets via their mobile devices. There is one catch, however. In-person registration is required. Experts believe this will steer folks to offshore sportsbooks, which already cater to Illinois residents and offer top bonuses.
While the requirement will last only 18 months, some believe it's akin to waiting nearly two years to come online.
Yaniv Sherman, head of commercial development at online gambling service 888 Holdings, tells the Center Square this will impede the new market from swaying people away from offshore gambling sites.
“If you’re sitting at home, you have the choice of betting with an illegal operator or driving 45 minutes into a casino and registering a bet on your mobile device, it’s a no-brainer,” he said.
His organization is interested in offering services to Illinois residents, but plans to wait until the moratorium nears an end to consider it. Iowa offers a similar wait period but is already up and running.
Illinois has also restricted top brands such as Draftkings and FanDuel from obtaining licenses for 18 months. The state also restricts wagering on its college teams or games that feature them.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
