In November 2019, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed SB3432 into law, making sports betting legal in Illinois. This bill allowed people aged 21 and over to place bets at licensed sports books. The law also made sports betting available at Riverboat Gambling Act facilities. The legislation also set taxes at 12.5% of gross sports wagering revenue. The bill died in committee in January 2019, but is expected to return to the Illinois Legislature sometime in the future.
Sports betting in Virginia is not yet legal, but the state has legalized it as part of a larger movement towards more gambling options. Virginia’s citizens have already voted to allow the construction of five land-based casinos, the first of its kind in the state. For now, sports betting in Virginia is only available online, but in the future, a sportsbook may open in the state. In September 2021, Wyoming will open its sports betting market. DraftKings was the first to launch in the state, and the state expects at least five apps to be available.
Another state to legalize sports betting is Iowa. The state went from drafting legislation to launching the market within five months. In addition, two sportsbooks opened in Phoenix-area stadiums. Besides the online sports betting market, Iowa also has the fastest turnaround time – only five months from legalization to launch. But this time may be changing, because it is now possible for sports betting to become legal in more states in the future. With more states and cities legalizing sports betting, competition is becoming more intense.