The path has been cleared for bet365 to become the 10th live online sports betting provider in Illinois.
In its final meeting of 2024 last week, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) granted Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort a Master Sports Wagering License and bet365 a Management Services Provider License.
With these licenses, Walker's Bluff and bet365 will work together to offer in-person sports betting on location and online sports betting throughout the state.
The Illinois Sports Betting Market Has Been Thriving
Illinois wrapped up an impressive month with an $878 million sports betting handle in August prior to the start of the 2024 NFL season. Since the return of pro football, Illinois has recorded a sports betting handle of over $1.3 billion in each of the last three months.
Whenever bet365 Illinois does roll out, it will join plenty of other well-established sportsbooks in the Land of Lincoln, including:
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- Fanatics Sportsbook
- ESPN BET Sportsbook
- BetRivers Sportsbook
A healthy competition among sportsbooks always works in favor of the players, who have the opportunity to collect various bonuses and promotions from these sites competing for their business.
bet365 Continues U.S. Expansion
Illinois is set to become the 12th state that the bet365 sportsbook is available in. Sports betting at bet365 is currently available in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
In two of those states — New Jersey and Pennsylvania — bet365 Casino is also live. Players in those states can enjoy slots, table games and live casino games on their computer or mobile devices. Unfortunately, online casino gaming is not currently legal in Illinois, so only the sportsbook will be launching in the Prairie State.
bet365 is a British gambling company that was founded in 2000. It is one of the most popular gambling brands in the world, with a strong presence in Australia and in European countries like the U.K., Spain, Italy and Germany.
And with this upcoming expansion into Illinois, the bet365 brand continues to steadily build its presence here in the United States as well.
