A bill to amend the Illinois Horse Racing Act 1975 to remove of the requirement to register for a sports betting account in person from next year has been approved by the state legislature.
House Bill 3136, which has passed both houses – thanks to a 100 to 13 vote in the Senate – has proposed that the requirement will end either when an operator is granted a specific master license for online sports betting, which will be permitted under the bill, or on 5 March 2022 – whichever event occurs first.
The Illinois Gaming Board had previously set a deadline of 3 December 2021 for applications for three additional online-only sports betting operator licenses within the state.
Under the current Illinois sports betting laws, in-person registration is required to create a sports betting account.
The stipulation was initially removed in order to give players greater access to online sports betting services during lockdown due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The requirement was then re-introduced in the state back in April, as facilities began to re-open following restrictions being lifted.
The amendment also allows for bets to be placed in person on Illinois collegiate teams, provided they are not related to an individual athlete’s performance.