The Australia-based sportsbook operator has received regulatory approval in another US state.
The Australian sportsbook operator, PointsBet, has received a temporary operating permit for sports betting from the Illinois Gaming Board.
Temporary betting permit
With a temporary operating permit, PointsBet will be able to launch its land-based sportsbook and online betting platform in Illinois once its partner, the Hawthorne Racecourse (HRC) in the Chicago suburbs, receives its master license.
Although the Hawthorne Racecourse is PointsBet’s main location, the operator said it will offer sports betting at several off-track locations.
In the announcement, PointsBet said: “On 28 June 2019, the Governor of Illinois signed sports betting legislation into law. Since then, Pointsbet and HRC have been working in tandem towards building a world-class, multi-faceted sports entertainment venue centrally located at the Hawthorne Racecourse, together with several off-track betting outlets throughout the Greater Chicago area.”
Sports betting in Illinois
In July 2019, Governor J.B Pritzker signed Illinois’ gambling expansion bill into law, making Illinois the fifth state to legalize sports betting in 2019. As well as legalizing sports betting, the bill allowed for the launch of six new land-based casinos and a large casino venue in Chicago.
The Illinois sports betting market went live on 9 March with the launch of a BetRivers-branded sportsbook at Rivers Casino Des Plaines. However, the state’s land-based market was quickly suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
BetRivers also took the state’s first online sports bets last month via its Kambi-powered sports betting platform.
Under the state’s sports betting laws wagering on collegiate sporting events that are held in the state will be prohibited. The sports leagues will also have the ability to place restrictions on certain types of bets in the state. The legislation also authorizes the roll-out of slot machines at various racetracks and the O’Hare and Midway airports.
Online betting in Illinois
The state’s sports betting laws also require players to register online accounts in person before placing a bet within the first 18 months of the market’s launch.
However, last month, Pritzker signed an executive order which temporarily relaxed rules requiring people to register in-person. As a result of this, bettors in the state can register their online accounts remotely online.
