The list of applicants for a Management Services Provider License for sports betting in Illinois grew to three Tuesday when the Illinois Gaming Board listed Rush Street Interactive among them on its official website.
Rush Street Interactive joins Betfair Interactive and Penn Sports Interactive as prospective Management Services Provider licensees as the Land of Lincoln continues to take small steps in launching sports betting. It has been legal since Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a massive gaming expansion bill into law last June, but the IGB has been deliberate in going through the steps and only just moved the Phase 2 rules into the state registry on Friday to begin the 45-day public commentary on that package.
Pritzker is optimistic sports betting will be in place by the start of the NCAA March Madness college basketball tournament, with the Argosy Casino in Alton, the Elgin Riverboat Resort, which is doing business as Grand Victoria Casino, and Midwest Gaming and Entertainment, which is doing business as Rivers Casino, all approved for temporary operating permits while waiting to be approved for wagering.
Rush Street Interactive is believed to be connected to the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, which is just outside of Chicago and is expected to have BetRivers as its brand considering the casino unveiled its BetRivers SportsBar in mid-December. BetRivers has both retail and online sports betting in Pennsylvania, a retail sports book in New York, and an online presence in Indiana through the French Lick Resort.
Phase 1 rules clear rule-making committee
The Phase 1 rules released by the IGB in December and entered into the state registry in January passed through the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) without objection Tuesday in the state capital of Springfield.
The JCAR is expected to take up the Phase 2 rules in its next meeting, which is currently scheduled for March 18.
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