On Saturday at 10 a.m. CST, new users will no longer have to enter a retail casino to complete the online sportsbook registration process. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed HB 3136 into law in December, establishing March 5 as the start date for remote registration to return.
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Previously, Pritzker allowed new players to register online during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving users the chance to sign up online for much of 2020.
In-person registration can prove burdensome for Illinois residents who are not near a casino. For instance, DraftKings and FanDuel are partnered with facilities in the East St. Louis area, while someone in the St. Louis area would have to drive across the state to register for BetRivers or Barstool, which are located in the Chicago suburb area.
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Currently, Nevada is the only other state that requires in-person registration. It will now be the only state after March 5.
HB 3136 Also Brought Betting on Illinois Teams
In addition to bringing about an end to in-person registration, HB 3136 gave Illinois residents the chance to bet on in-state college teams.
Wagering on schools like Illinois or Northwestern was banned in the state, and many athletic administrators opposed it. However, when Pritzker signed HB 3136, Illinois bettors finally could wager on in-state schools, although in a limited capacity.
Wagers on Illinois schools can only be placed at one of the state’s casino or racetrack sportsbooks, meaning no Illinois online gambling wagers can be made on the Illini. Bets are also limited to the outcome of games, as player props are still not allowed.
Still, the in-state ban could be reinstated in two years if state lawmakers do not pass another bill allowing it.
Wintrust Arena License
HB 3136 also allowed Wintrust Arena to apply for a sports facility sports wagering license, giving Chicago five eligible sports facilities to get a license.
Originally, Wintrust was not set to become eligible to apply since it did not meet the capacity requirement in the Sports Wagering Act, but the momentum from the Chicago Sky winning the WNBA title allowed team owner Michael Alter to convince lawmakers to include the arena in the bill.
The bill also prohibits towns from imposing more per-push taxes on video slot machines.
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