Rivers Des Plaines Readies To Be One Of Illinois’ First Sportsbooks

When sports betting is finally introduced in Illinois, Rush Street Gaming will join the action.

The company based in Chicago is currently seeking sportsbook writers and ambassadors for its Rivers Casino Des Plaines location. They are organizing a job fair on February 11 with the aim of assembling a team.

Last summer, Illinois legalized sports betting across the state, a move that Indiana also managed to accomplish.

However, after legalization, the Hoosier State was swift to initiate action. Meanwhile, Illinois is still in the initial phases of establishing its infrastructure and licensing its sportsbooks.

However, this appears to be changing shortly, as the Illinois Gaming Board has recently given the green light to three casinos to commence operations. Des Plaines, Argosy Casino Alton, and Grand Victoria Casino will be the first to take sports bets in the state.

The trio aims to be operational in time for March Madness.

Rush Street aims to expedite the progress in Des Plaines, and employing sportsbook workers is an essential step in this process.

Another head start in sports betting is given to Rush Street.

BetRivers, Rush Street’s sportsbook, was one of the first to go online in Indiana, along with DraftKings. This gave BetRivers early entry into the Indiana market.

The company will retain the same advantage in Illinois, but it will only extend to retail and online betting. Moreover, this advantage is applicable to customers who have registered in-person at an Illinois sportsbook.

BetRivers has the opportunity to dominate online.

In the beginning, BetRivers was solely vying with DraftKings and FanDuel for online patrons following their launch in Indiana. However, this scenario shifted in just a few months.

BetAmerica is already operating online in the Hoosier State, with additional sportsbooks set to join the competition soon.

Given that BetRivers is already functional in other states, launching it online in Illinois could be relatively seamless. However, Rush Street would need to modify the Illinois version of the sportsbook to comply with the state’s specific regulations, even though the site’s framework is already established.

BetRivers’ early access could potentially allow the sportsbook to secure a significant portion of the state’s online handle. However, the potential online numbers could be limited by Illinois’ requirement for in-person registration.

If local residents near the border are reluctant to travel to register for an online sportsbook in person, it could further motivate them to make a swift journey across the state line to place their online bets.

This is beneficial for Indiana, but it could pose a challenge for Illinois sportsbooks as betting there is still in its early stages.

Chicago’s Rivers Casino Des Plaines

The casino’s sports betting success could be significantly influenced by Des Plaines’ closeness to downtown Chicago.

Its retail handle could greatly benefit from the location. Being situated next to a major city offers a vast pool of potential customers residing in close proximity.

Des Plaines might also attract customers who have been crossing the border to visit Horseshoe Hammond and Ameristar Casino in Indiana.

The two are essentially situated on the border between the two states, and together they produced a retail turnover of more than $20 million in December.

The number is likely to decrease once sports betting is introduced in Illinois, as some bettors may prefer closer locations like Des Plaines.