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CUBS,
BULLS AND BEARS GAMES ELIGIBLE FOR IN-PERSON SPORTS BETTING UNDER NEW
LAW
Illinois Policy Institute/
Joe Barnas
New change in law paves the way for sports
betting at Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, and the United Center, among
other venues.
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 Legalized sports betting could be coming to Illinois’ most
iconic sports venues.
Wrigley Field is one of the eligible locations that may receive a license for
sports betting inside the park. Other popular Chicago sport venues that are able
to apply for licenses include Soldier Field, home of the Bears, the United
Center, home of the Bulls and Blackhawks, as well as Guaranteed Rate Field, home
of the White Sox. Also eligible outside the city are SeatGeek Stadium in
Bridgeview, the soon-to-be-former home of the Chicago Fire, the Chicagoland
Speedway in Joliet and World Wide Technology Raceway in the Metro East.
 House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 690 moves to allow sports betting at or within
a five-block radius of a sport venue that seats more than 17,000 people.
Lawmakers in the Illinois House of Representatives passed HB 690 June 1, voting
87-27. The state Senate approved June 2, sending it to the governor’s desk. Gov.
J.B. Pritzker has indicated he will sign the bill.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot initially expressed her disapproval of the sports
betting bill, opposing sports betting at venues like Soldier Field and the
United Center. Following discussions with Pritzker, the two came to an
understanding.
“We have agreed to allow a limited of betting at sports venues subject to local
oversight and control,” Lightfoot said in a statement supporting SB 690.
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However, popular sports online-only betting
platforms DraftKings and FanDuel will be frozen out of the market
for 18 months, as SB 690 grants casinos first crack at the mobile
market, which is projected to account for three-fourths of bets.
In May 2018, the United States Supreme Court struck down a federal
law that effectively banned sports betting across the county. The
ruling in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association opened
the door to legalized sports betting across the country.
Currently, eight states have “full-scale” legalized sports betting:
Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Delaware,
and Rhode Island, according to ESPN. Illinois will join seven other
states that have recently passed a sport betting bill, like
neighboring states Iowa and Indiana.
While Iowa’s rulemaking process is still being finalized, residents
may currently wager on sporting events after legalized sports
betting was signed into law in May. Indiana also legalized sports
betting in May, but the law is effective September 1.
While an official start date is not known, sports fans can get ready
for sportsbooks and betting kiosks at their favorite teams’ venues
as sports betting comes to Illinois.
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