At last, online registration is returning to sports betting in Illinois. Effective March 5, it is no longer be required to sign up for sports betting apps in person.
That is just in time to bet on March Madness. There are currently six online sportsbooks in IL: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetRivers, PointsBet, Barstool and Caesars by William Hill.
One new sportsbook, BetMGM, has launched. It’s possible we see other launches soon after, as there are currently anonymous pending applicants for online-only sports betting licenses.
Below, we are updating Illinois sports bettors with the latest news, launches, promotional offers and more as the Prairie State’s “second launch” nears.
2022 Illinois remote registration updates
8 a.m. March 9: Caesars Sportsbook reboots
Caesars Illinois sheds William Hill in an official rebrand. The sportsbook is now included in nationwide promotions. Read about the Caesars Sportsbook Illinois launch here to learn how it affects you.
10 a.m. March 7: New Caesars app coming soon
A brand new Caesars Sportsbook app is expected to launch in Illinois between Monday and Wednesday. The current Caesars by William Hill app and brand will be discontinued.
7 a.m. March 5: BetMGM is live
Illinois now has a seventh online sportsbook, which is BetMGM. It’s the first IL mobile sportsbook launch in almost a year.
New users can earn a bonus bet of up to $1,000 upon sign up.
Midnight March 5: Bye-bye, in-person registration
Illinoisans are now officially able to sign up for sports betting apps on their mobile devices
4 p.m. March 4: Caesars to keep William Hill cloak a bit longer
Caesars officially announce that the Illinois sportsbook won’t transition away from Caesars at William Hill until next week.
11 a.m. March 4: FanDuel online registration starts at 12:40 a.m. Saturday
FanDuel Sportsbook announced it would be allowing online registration as of 12:40 a.m. March 5. New FanDuel customers will no longer have to visit the former Fairmont Park in Collinsville to sign up for a FanDuel account after that time.
FanDuel is offering a pre-registration offer. For those who register before March 5, FanDuel will give you $100 in free site credits.
FanDuel IL officially launched in Illinois on Aug. 28, 2020. It was initially partners with Par-A-Dice Casino but moved its online license to FanDuel Sportsbook and Racing.
5 p.m. March 3: Caesars at William Hill to become Caesars
Illinois customers of the former William Hill app received a notice from Caesars on Thursday evening.
2 p.m. March 3: PointsBet online registration starts at 10 a.m. Saturday
PointsBet Sportsbook announced it would be allowing online registration as of 10 a.m. March 5. Wannabe PointsBet customers will no longer have to visit any Hawthorne Race Course location to sign up for a PointsBet account after that time.
The book is offering a prelaunch special for those who create a new PointsBet account before March 6. You will receive $100 in bonus bets, in addition to the $2,000 in bonus bets. To claim this offer, register with PointsBet Illinois here and enter the PointsBet promo code BETBONUSIL. The $100 in bonus bets will be credited to your account after placing your first wager.
PointsBet IL went live in the state on Sept. 12, 2020.
March 1: DraftKings unveils new bonus
Similar to FanDuel, DraftKings also has a $100 pre-registration offer.
Register for DraftKings before March 5, and you will unlock a free $100 bet.
Feb. 28: New approvals coming?
There are three mystery applicants for online-only sports betting licenses in Illinois. And based on the way the Sports Wagering Act is written, there is a chance the winning bidders will be revealed on March 3.
With that said, there is also a board meeting on March 10, and it’s possible we get an update there instead. Either way, prepare to see some news on this front soon.
Feb. 24: FanDuel unveils sign up offer
FanDuel Sportsbook has a pre-registration offer for Illinoisans.
For those who register before March 5, FanDuel will give you $100 in free site credits.
Jan. 27: Illinois Gaming Board approves BetMGM
Near the end of January, the IGB approved BetMGM for a sports betting license. Once it launches, BetMGM will become the seventh online sportsbook in the state.
BetMGM was the most prominent operator that was not yet in the Illinois market. It is considered a top-four sportsbook nationally.
It will partner with Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria for market access, meaning it is not one of the three mystery online-only license applicants.
2021
Dec. 17: Gov. Pritzker signs bill setting end date for in-person registration
HB 3136 was significant for the industry, and Pritzker signed it into law just before the holidays.
It set March 5 as the end date for in-person registration and also legalized betting on Illinois college teams. However, there is also an in-person stipulation.
Dec. 9: Three companies apply for online-only licenses
The IGB attracted three applicants for its $20 million online-only licenses.
In March, we should learn their respective identities. From there, the IGB can choose to approve or deny the applicants. If all are approved, Illinois could have double-digit online sportsbooks before the summer.
Oct. 28: Online registration law fix passes
The Illinois Senate and House passed HB 3136, which is explained above. A little over a month later, Pritzker would sign the bill into law.
April 4: Pritzker brings back in-person registration in Illinois
After about seven months of online registration, Pritzker waived his executive order as COVID-19 vaccines became widely available.
That seven-month period paved the way for Illinois to become one of the top sports betting markets in the US. Still, there seems to be untapped potential.
2020
Aug. 21: Pritzker shifts to online registration
As COVID-19 cases began to rise again, the Governor suspended the in-person registration requirement. There had been some flip-flopping before, but this change was key, as it would ultimately last until April 2021 and allow the sports betting market to gain serious traction.