The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has unanimously approved Circa Sportsbook’s operator license in the State. This means that Circa Sportsbook can launch both online and retail sports betting in Illinois. Locals will soon be able to access odds at The Temporary by American Place Casino as Circa’s license is tethered to the casino. Illinois sports betting fans will soon have more ways to play with Circa Sportsbook.
Circa Targets August Launch In Illinois
If all goes according to schedule, Circa will go live in Illinois by August. The operator only awaits a request to the IGB to begin offering odds through its mobile app. This marks the eighth operator to launch in Illinois since the market went live.
Circa is poised to be a major player in the ever-growing Illinois market. The Prairie State has seen more than $20 billion in wagering handle since launch. This ranks Illinois third in the U.S.
Circa entering Illinois adds a massive market to its portfolio of sports betting opportunities. Additionally, Illinois continues to grow with another sports betting option being available for locals. This launch is a major advancement for both Illinois and Circa Sports.
Fierce Competition In Illinois
Circa Sports will be fighting an uphill battle when it launches its operation in Illinois, however. The current market is dominated by already-established sportsbooks. FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetRivers claim a 75% market share with the remaining four operators splitting just 25%.
Circa’s strategy to compete in this already established market is to simply do what they have been doing. This is not the only market they operate in with strong competition.
“There’s 30 competitors in Colorado, there’s quite a few in Iowa and obviously in Nevada, there’s a lot,” said Derek Stevens, CEO of Circa Sports. “I really think sports betting, in general, is still in its infancy. Sportsbooks, they’re all different. One sportsbook model may be great for a certain type of customer and another model might be better for a very different kind of customer. So, I think there’s a lot of room to continue to grow the market and Illinois so far has been very, very robust. We’re excited about showing up.”
Fans will be able to make the choice for themselves once Circa Sportsbook officially launches in Illinois. Locals are just a few months away from having access to the new operator.
