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Take it easy

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Illinois

With newly legalized sports betting stuck behind the starting gate in Illinois, sportsbooks across the border in Indiana have sprinted to a lucrative launch, Hoosier gambling regulators announced Thursday.

Bettors in Indiana plunked down more than $35.2 million on sports contests in September, which marked that state’s first month of legal sports wagering, according to the Indiana Gaming Commission. […]

Gaming Board administrator Marcus Fruchter has said his agency is performing its due diligence in “making sure we have the right approach for the state, which deserves integrity and adequate safeguards.”

But state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, another longtime Springfield gambling proponent, said now’s not the time to “overthink” regulations.

“That’s revenue we’re not getting,” Syverson said. “The state is losing dollars every day we don’t have these rules done so we can start to move forward. We’re months behind now on revenue.”

The Gaming Board has a history in this state of dragging its feet on things like video gaming, which took forever to get off the ground. I don’t yet believe that’s the case with sports betting. Rules have to be promulgated and that takes some time.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 11, 19 @ 10:01 am

Comments

Pritzker signed the sports betting bill 1.5 months after Indiana signed their bill. It took Indiana about 4 months to promulgate their rules. Illinois is now into month 4. How much longer will it take Illinois?

Comment by Occam Friday, Oct 11, 19 @ 10:23 am
Heading to the Horseshoe this weekend instead of Rivers with some friends. Sports betting was the deciding factor. Illinois better get this figured out soon.

Comment by Chicagonk Friday, Oct 11, 19 @ 10:40 am
Indiana saw $813k in September. Iowa saw $335k in September. Illinois saw $0 in September.

I respectfully do think there is reason to not take it easy

Comment by Central Illinois Center Right Friday, Oct 11, 19 @ 11:58 am
Illinois government always a day late and a dollar short

Comment by Etown Friday, Oct 11, 19 @ 2:32 pm
IL will obviously miss the entire football season where the majority of bets are placed. Don’t expect anything by the NCAA tourney, but most bets are office pools and the state wouldn’t collect on anyway. See ya next fall…..maybe.

Comment by Taxedoutwest Friday, Oct 11, 19 @ 4:12 pm