You must go back to 2019 to find the time sports betting was legalized in the state of Illinois. It was a momentous occasion as the state took full advantage of the new rule allowing them full control over sports betting having seen the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 overturned. It took a few months for the process to be complete but in March 2020, the first legal sports bet in Illinois was placed at the Rivers Casino Des Plaines.
Just a few months later, online sports betting went live in Illinois and from the summer of 2020 onwards residents have had the legal right to place a sports bet online in the state. It is certainly an exciting time for all those who have been waiting to legally bet on sport and full information regarding legalized sports betting can be found on the gamble Illinois site.
The legalization of sports betting is sure to have a significant impact on the state of Illinois. The most obvious change is the fact people can now enjoy having a wager on an available sport of their choice, without the fear of breaking the law. Gamblers in Illinois can now legally bet on sport and the options include NFL, college football, NHL, MLB, NBA, soccer, tennis, golf, and many more.
With sports betting legalized in Illinois, people can now relax and place a bet knowing they are in safe hands. This should lead to a significant increase in the number of people betting on the sports they love in the knowledge they are safe. Betting illegally carries a significant amount of risk including the stealing of personal information, including financial details, plus the fact winnings are not always paid out as expected. When this sort of thing happens using an illegal online bookmaker, there is nothing the punter can do about it and the money is lost.
However, legalized sports betting means the people of Illinois can use trusted websites for sports betting. DraftKings, William Hill, BetRivers, and PointsBet are all good examples of online bookmakers who have an official licence to operate in the state of Illinois. Take William Hill as an example, this United Kingdom based bookmaker has been in business for decades and is one of the biggest names in the world of online gambling.
In addition to the peace of mind and opportunities legalized sports betting brings to the people of Illinois, there is also the benefit of tax revenue to the state. The state government receives around 15% of the revenue from sports betting services and this is added to public spending in the state. The extra funds could lead to the improvement of several public services in Illinois and the benefits will be enjoyed by everyone, not only those who bet online.
Having successfully legalized sports betting, Illinois has become somewhat of a shining light in the US Midwest region. As some of the nearby states struggle to pass the legislation required for sports betting, they could soon be turning to Illinois for guidance on how to do so successfully.
Photo: Jan Weber, Unsplash
