In-person registration has been re-introduced in the state of Illinois after Executive Order 2020-41, which suspended Illinois’ in-person registration requirement, expired at midnight on 3 April.
From 4 April onwards, new customers for sports betting operators will be required to register in person before being able to place any bets online.
The order was first signed off by Illinois govenor J.B. Pritzker, initially brought into place due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), allowing players to register online rather than travelling to a physical sportsbook.
It was then extended several times as the pandemic progressed, with the latest extension expiring this month.
This proved to be successful, as Illinois was still able to attain record revenue and handle figures at the start of this year.
PointsBet chief financial officer Andrew Mellor said the return of the requirement may help his business, due to the fact it operates multiple retail betting venues in the greater Chicago area.
“PointsBet’s strategic retail sportsbook locations, including the Hawthorne Race Course located just 8.5 miles from downtown Chicago, and the three off track betting shops in the greater metro Chicago area, provides a significant competitive advantage in an in-person registration environment.”
Online sports betting first became legal within the state in 2019, and plans for online casino betting to follow suit were put into place in February.