Illinois is looking to pass a bill that could legalise online gambling in the US state. Though nothing is currently set in stone, the news appears to be promising for affiliates.
The sports betting industry in Illinois is thriving at the moment and so the government is now turning its attention to iGaming and online poker, hoping that these industries will be able to accelerate the state’s COVID-19 recovery.
Aiding the state’s recovery by generating profit
State Representative Bob Rita is the main person pushing for this change, having proposed a new piece of legislation for HB3142 (more commonly known as the Internet Gaming Act). Rita suggested that online gambling taxation should be the same as that for sports betting in Illinois, which is 12% of profits.
This should make iGaming quite an appealing prospect to the state, especially as this industry is much more profitable than sports betting. Of course, there could still be a lot of opposition from other state bodies, businesses, and residents, as gambling is often considered to be damaging from both an economic and social perspective.
Should the HB3142 legislation pass, the Illinois Gaming Control Board would have precisely 90 days to properly administer the act. The regulator can use the existing sports betting legislation for this, then make any necessary adjustments that are specific to online casino gambling.
New opportunities for iGaming in the US
Any operators that would like to obtain a licence in Illinois would need to pay a $100,000 application fee to the Gaming Control Board, then $250,000 for renewals. The age for online gambling would be 21 and only those within the state’s borders will be allowed to participate in the activity.
If the bill were to pass, this would be fantastic news for iGaming affiliates who are looking for market opportunities to expand their outreach.
