Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signs bill to allow in-state college sports bets, online registration, new in-stadium sportsbook

It might have been too late for bettors to place their money on Northern Illinois University in Friday’s Cure Bowl matchup with Coastal Carolina, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a measure that allows limited betting on in-state college teams.

Bettors now will be allowed to place wagers in person at state-licensed sportsbooks on the outcome of games played by in-state college teams — but not on individual athlete performance or in-game action.

While gambling on college games has been legal in Illinois since sports betting went live in 2020, the law previously prohibited wagers on in-state teams.

The new provision will be automatically repealed on July 1, 2023, unless lawmakers approve an extension.

Athletic directors at the state’s Division I schools opposed the measure when lawmakers were debating it this spring, citing concerns about players’ mental health and safety.

Nonetheless, lawmakers in October approved a package with broad bipartisan support that also will allow Wintrust Arena, the home court of the Chicago Sky and the DePaul Blue Demons, to apply for a sportsbook license, putting the WNBA champions on equal footing with the home stadiums of men’s professional teams in the city.

Chicago aldermen on Wednesday gave local approval for sportsbooks to operate at the city’s arenas.

The new state law also sets a March 5 deadline for the Illinois Gaming Board to allow sports bettors to register online rather than requiring them to sign up in person at a casino or racetrack sportsbook — which is sure to be welcome news for fans of the NCAA basketball tournaments that month.

Under the current law, the in-person registration requirement would be lifted when the board issues the first of three online-only sportsbook licenses created in the 2019 law. The board currently is reviewing three applications submitted by its Dec. 3 deadline.

Source: Chicago Tribune

 

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