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Pro teams want sports betting monopolies in their zones

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Illinois

State regulators need to tighten rules to fend off “faux” competitors if Chicago’s professional sports teams are expected to fork over a whopping $10 million apiece for licenses to open sportsbooks at or near their stadiums.

That’s what a lawyer for the White Sox, Cubs, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks told the Illinois Gaming Board in a letter last week, as the agency sets the framework for newly legalized sports betting across the state.

Among other things, the teams want rules to keep casino-tied sports wagering operations and Illinois Lottery parlay betting kiosks out of their territory once the industry finally launches. […]

Illinois’ new gambling expansion law authorizes sports wagering licenses not only for casinos, racetracks and off-track betting parlors, but also for up to seven sports facilities with a capacity of 17,000 or more — opening the door to betting windows inside or within a five-block radius of Guaranteed Rate Field, Wrigley Field, Soldier Field and the United Center.

The teams are essentially demanding a monopoly for five blocks in every direction around their stadiums. They even want a ban on sports book advertising and marketing in their zones by anyone but themselves.

The letter written by the teams’ attorney also points to this recent development in New Jersey…

A dozen spicy wings and a 12-team parlay? The sports betting experience is coming to a Buffalo Wild Wings near you via one of America’s largest bookmakers.

MGM Resorts International and its sports betting venture Roar Digital announced a multiyear deal with national sports bar Buffalo Wild Wings on Thursday. It’s another visible shift in the American sports betting culture.

In the coming months, odds and point spreads will begin appearing on screens at select Buffalo Wild Wings. On Thursday, the two companies will launch Picks and Props, a free-to-play, mobile-only football game that mimics sports betting with point spreads and prop bets and rewards winners with prizes, including trips to Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

* Meanwhile, this is also from the Sun-Times…

Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) is in the doghouse with Mayor Lori Lightfoot for publicly opposing the mayor’s choice of Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) as Finance Committee chairman.

But Beale is not about to keep quiet while Chicago continues to “hemorrhage” revenue to Indiana casinos.

On Wednesday, Beale sent a letter to the mayor outlining a game plan he believes would expedite a Chicago casino.

It calls for the city to issue a “request-for-proposals” to identify a “responsible” casino operator. The mayor and the chosen operator then would go to Springfield to seek the specific fix needed for the Chicago casino’s tax structure. The structure outlined in the current law is so onerous, a city casino can’t be financed, according to a Gaming Board consultant. […]

Beale claims to have a “shovel-ready” casino site at 103rd and Woodlawn that has attracted interest from two casino operators he refused to name; that site was not among the five Lightfoot asked the Gaming Board to study.

Sigh.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 12:18 pm

Comments

==that site was not among the five Lightfoot asked the Gaming Board to study.==

103rd and Woodlawn is basically Harborside, which was one of Lightfoot’s locations. Still not a good idea.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 12:41 pm
Interesting that the letter written for the teams’ attorney was from Donna More, who is running against Kim Foxx for Cook County State’s Attorney.

Comment by Paddyrollingstone Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 12:55 pm
What makes anyone think that Jerry Reinsdorf will pay for something? I’m sure he’ll get his way for free as usual.

Comment by Jose Abreu's Next Homerun Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 1:08 pm
Seems pretty pointless for team owners to worry about this. Once fans are in the stadium, they are a captive audience seeing as they cant leave. How many extra people are really going to gamble somewhere else and then go to the game? A few people at the surrounding bars, maybe but that cant really amount to much.

Comment by Sox Fan Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 1:17 pm
I guess their trying to recoup money used to upgrade their stadiums. Oh wait…we paid for that too.

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 1:23 pm
Little late again Illinois… MGM Grand has announced partner with Buffalo Wild Wings nationly and mobile app.

Comment by BobCL Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 1:26 pm
To Sox Fan’s point - It would matter if the teams are planning on offering demonstrably worse odds (-120 or -125 instead of the more normal -110) to their captive audience than the rest of the books in the general area. Then again, perhaps the current purveyors of $10 bud light to captive audiences might not want to move the lines further to their side if provided the opportunity.

Comment by benniefly2 Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 2:43 pm
It appears B-Dub is going after the college football and hoop market. They do huge business around March Madness.

Comment by Bogey Golfer Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 3:24 pm
Good point benniefly. But the online wagering from the Brick and mortar casinos should cut into the teams’ ability to have worse odds.

Comment by Sox Fan Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 3:53 pm
Who cares if sports teams participate? The “official” bars and restaurants owned by teams and stadiums that have no nearby competition usually are dated and are very overpriced. Since most legal betting will be done on phones, does it really matter?

Comment by Addison Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 4:12 pm
===Since most legal betting will be done on phones===

The apps will be geo-fenced.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 4:15 pm
===The apps will be geo-fenced====

Tech works for single team states but where is the fence in Illinois with two baseball teams or three with the Cardinals; along I-80 ?

Comment by BobCL Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 4:43 pm