This Monday, Illinois will become the latest state in the US to launch sports betting. The Rivers Des Plaines Casino in Chicago area will open its BetRivers Sportsbook to start accepting wagers.

A new opportunity

The Rivers casino was offered a temporary operating permit from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) to run a sportsbook. The casino is located 15 miles from downtown Chicago near the O’Hare International Airport. Its new retail sportsbook offering will be operated in a 5,000 square feet space and will come with a 47-foot wide high definition LED video wall. It will also come with four 75-inch televisions and ten 86-inch televisions. The facility will allow patrons to engage in video poker and will come with a full-service bar as well.

It will have five windows with ticket writers and also come with 30 self-service kiosks. Rush Street Gaming co-founder and CEO, which owns the Rivers casino, Greg Carlin said,

“Whether you are a seasoned sportsbook player or a casual sports fan interested in this new entertainment option, we’re dedicated to an environment where all customers will enjoy themselves in this great venue within our premier casino.”

The native Chicago-based company holds a minority stake in the casino as of 2020. A majority share was sold to Churchill Downs Inc. in 2018.

Rush Street brand to continue

Even though Rush Street is a minority stakeholder in the casino, Rivers will continue with their sportsbook brand instead of BetAmerica. Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen said that the BetRivers Sportsbooks matched the high standards set by the Rivers Casino which has become a unique and successful regional gaming destination.

The sportsbook opens at an opportune time as the basketball postseason is starting off. Though the state law has banned betting on in-state teams, officials at Rush Street believe that they will receive a strong response at their retail sportsbook during March Madness. The casino is expected to launch a mobile sportsbook later in the year. However, for now, they are focusing exclusively on providing a retail sportsbook experience.

This is the fifth state in which BetRivers sportsbook by Rush Street will mark its presence. It is already operational in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Indiana via mobile and retail channels. The IGB has given temporary permits to four other casinos in the state but they have not been approved for offering a retail sportsbook yet.