FanDuel and DraftKings were originally expected to go the online-only route, only to instead partner with a casino and enter Illinois paying half that amount. While no licensing process is easy, the Illinois Gaming Board has as thorough a vetting process as any state before awarding a license.Īlmost certainly, the $20 million price tag has provided plenty of reason for pause or to explore other business strategies.
Now in its fourth year of conducting business and firmly established as a top-three market nationally, there is one area where the Land of Lincoln has yet to hit paydirt - finding an operator wanting to go through the full process of becoming an online-only licensee. From an operator standpoint, Illinois has just about everything one could ask for when it comes to sports wagering: a metropolis, professional sports teams, easy access to mobile betting, room for more online operators, and available licensee opportunities.
