Illinois pushes for sports betting

The Governor is looking to get the state to approve the segment in order to jump in the growing business.

US.- Illinois could become the ninth state in the US to join the sports betting market, should Governor J.B. Pritzker succeeds in his push for its legalisation. He has repeatedly voiced his support for the segment and considers its regulation as a way to solve the state’s budget troubles.

In order to get the sports betting industry approved in Illinois, there are still some hurdles to overcome. “Number one, do you have bricks and mortar, real places that you have to physically go to or do you have it online where you can just simply plug in; or do you have a combination of both?” political expert John Jackson with Paul Simon Public Policy Institute questioned and asked. “Millions of people gamble, even though it’s illegal, and billions of dollars are wagered.”

“We could implement that in the state as one example. There certainly are opportunities for us to expand casino gaming in the state,” Pritzker had said. “So those are a couple of ways for us to expand gaming. Balancing the budget is very important, it’s not just about those revenue enhancements. It’s also about bringing efficiencies to state government.”