Unlike brick-and-mortar gambling, where visitors need to drive up to a specific location, online activities are much easier to access. Convenience: this is one of the prime reasons why online and mobile sports betting has been gaining traction across more states and why online gambling activities may have a similar fate.
Popularity of Online Gambling Activities Increases
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, restricted sports betting activities in Nevada. PASPA was active until 2018, when the US Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, effectively allowing all states to legalize the activity on their own and regulate it. This marked a monumental achievement as nearly five years later, more than 30 US states offer some form of sports wagering.
But the 2018 repeal helped push online gambling as well. Major markets that legalized the activity before PASPA’s repeal included Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. Then, following the repeal, other states, representing major markets such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia also made a step forward as well.
Report Reveals Illinois May Focus on Online Gambling
Now, amid the growth of the popularity of sports betting and online technologies, it looks like more states are poised to legalize online gambling. So it is likely not a question of whether or not the activity will be legalized, but when.
A recent report released by Bonus.com suggests that the legalization of online gambling may continue to expand to more US states this year. Illinois is one major market that may be looking to legalize online gambling activities, although the process between the legalization and the launch of the activity may be lengthy. The state made a strong push for its Illinois Internet Gaming Act back in 2021 but the efforts somewhat dragged in 2022 and the topic didn’t make it to debate. It is likely that the topic to be up for discussion this year, but as always, lawmakers will have to make that call.
There are plenty of benefits that a regulated gambling market brings. Considering the devastating impact of the pandemic and COVID relief funding, the legalization of the activity can undoubtedly help by creating a new revenue stream. This applies to Illinois as well, which also felt the economic impact of the pandemic.
Besides taxes, regulating the activity can also help boost player protection. This is because licensed operators need to adhere to player protection rules and honor self-exclusion. On the contrary, black market or illegal operators do not adhere to such rules, thus creating a risk for the gamblers.