Update: DraftKings officially announced a deal with Casino Queen in East St. Louis, meaning its launch in Illinois is imminent. DraftKings says its online sportsbook will be up and running "soon."
Sports are back, and that means Illinois' nascent legal sports gambling industry is set to finally gain steam.
Rivers Casino became the first operator to launch online sports betting in Illinois after launching digital wagering in June. Rivers was also the first casino in the state to open a brick-and-mortar sportsbook in March, which was only open a matter of days before Rivers---and all other state casinos---were forced to shut down due to the coronavirus.
Gamblers can place their bets on the BetRivers Sportsbook website or on its Android app. Rivers says an iPhone app is expected to launch soon.
While Rivers is currently your only option for legal sports betting in Illinois, that may not be the case for long. Two prominent digital betting companies---DraftKings and FanDuel---could soon launch in Illinois despite previously being told they'd need to wait more than a year to launch after the state's brick-and-mortar casinos.
DraftKings and FanDuel both received temporary permits from the Illinois Gaming Board and could reportedly launch as soon as this weekend as the baseball season kicks off. The two online operators were initially shut out of Illinois' legal sports gambling for at least 18 months as Illinois lawmakers offered a head start to state casinos. But both companies appear to have found a workaround by partnering with brick-and-mortar wagering locations. DraftKings has an agreement with downstate Casino Queen, while FanDuel's specific partner is still TBA.
While the timing of DraftKings, FanDuel and other online sports betting operators remains uncertain, it's likely Illinois will have a variety of online and mobile betting options before the start of the NFL season.
The growth of legalized sports betting in Illinois and other states across the U.S. could create a growing opportunity for startups that launch to support the industry. One such startup BetSperts, which launched last year, has created a social network for sports gamblers who want to find experts who can help guide their bets.
Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to legalize sports gambling when Gov. J.B. Pritzker officially made sports wagering legal in June 2019.
