Betway Lands First Online-Only Sports Betting License in Illinois

Originally Illinois legislators and the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) intended to make sure that all of the state's licensed sports betting operators would participate as both retail and online/mobile operators. It turns out the powers to be were open to the idea of licensing operators that wanted to focus solely on providing online sports betting options.

Congratulations go to Betway for securing the state of Illinois' first online-only sports betting option. It's worth noting that the state's original sports betting legislation opened the door for three (3) of these special licenses. These licenses are to be issued without the operator having to partner with a retail sports betting operator.

This is listed as a special sports betting operator's license. These licensees will not only be able to bypass retail partnerships but they will actually be denied the ability to accept any kind of in-person sports wagers. Everything will have to be handled through an online mobile platform.

Betway Comes Back From the Abyss

Originally, Betway's management expressed an interest in securing a combination retail/online sports betting option. When they realize that the applicable rules and regulations were too prohibitive for their liking, they cooled on becoming part of the Illinois sports betting community.

At the time Betway put their name in the ring for a combination license, they had also made mentioned that they would be interested in an online-only license should the opportunity arise. That was done in November of 2022 when the IGB expressed a willingness to accept such license applications.

It turns out that two (2) operators had submitted such applications, which is significant because the cost f this license will be $20 million if granted. The window for submission of an online-only sports betting application closed in March 2023. Surprisingly, Beyway has been granted the license and plans to proceed as required.

It's noteworthy that the name of the other applicant was not mentioned. With two (2) more online-only licenses still available, there is a good chance that the other applicant will be identified and granted said license in the very near future. It's also noteworthy that the possible passing of online casino legislation in Illinois might have played a part in Betway's management having a change of heart.

Other Illinois Sports Betting Licensing News

While the Beywat news is big news, other sports betting operators appear to be on deck for "master sports betting licenses" in the very near future. First up could well be the Hard Rock Casino in Rockford. They have formally applied for the license and are awaiting final regulatory approval. Other potential future licensees include

• Bally Bet - through affiliation with a Chicago-based casino
  
• Circa Sportsbook - partnered with the American Palace Casino in Waukegan
  
• Fanatics Betting and Gaming - coming in to replace departed PointBet where necessary
  

For now, it looks like everything is moving ahead in Illinois at a fast pace. More news is expected to hit the news wires in the coming months.