Illinois to Extend In-State College Sports Betting Access

When the Illinois state legislature passed the state's sports betting legislation, it was clear that lawmakers wanted to proceed with caution. That was indicated by the fact that in-state college sports wagering was not included in the original bill. This was done largely as a safety precaution under the guise they wanted to protect the integrity of college sports.

In 2021, reality ruled the day. The fact was the in-state college sports wagering exclusion did very little to stop Illinois residents from wagering on in-state teams. If they desired to do so, they could get access by simply driving to states like Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan where such exclusions have never existed. Caution aside, potential sports betting tax revenue was leaving the state.

Legislature Passes In-State Sports Betting Legislation in 2021

It was former House Rep. Mike Zalewski who saw the hole in the state's previous sports betting legislation. He took charge by introducing new legislation that would permit Illinois residents to be on in-state college teams. The bill passed as was signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker with one caveat.

The new bill only permitted wagering on game outcomes to the exclusion of player-specific proposition bets. Also, wagers on in-state college teams could only be initiated in retail sportsbooks, not online. This was all done as a compromise created to appease a group of college Athletic Directors who opposed the change.

Also included in the new bill was a "two-year sunset" provision that would allow the legislation to review this new provision every two years. That two years was set to expire on July 1, 2024, which would have prevented the state's loyal sports bettors from wagering on games involving college teams like the University of Illinois and Northwestern University.

It was Rep. Bob Tita who came to the rescue when he pushed the Senate to add the needed extension to the Senate's SB 98 legislation. They obliged and passed the bill that is now awaiting a signature from the Governor.

Overcoming the Opposition

From the very beginning, it was the state's top thirteen (13) Athletic Directors that opposed any kind of sports betting on in-state teams. Their concerns were the same concerns that have been expressed for years all across the country.

They claimed they wanted to protect student-athletes and the integrity of college sports. Leading the opposition was the University of Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman. In a meeting with legislators, he clearly stated that:

“Everything we were worried about when we first started having this conversation has ultimately come to pass,” Whitman said. “Our student-athletes are being frequent victims of online abuse. They are being ridiculed with very hostile words.”

His words were heard, but legislators were quick to push back that there was little to no evidence that indicated the stated problems had anything to d with sports betting. It was also clear that the powers-to-be were more interested in securing the tax revenue that would be lost should they prohibit sports betting on in-state schools.