Ten is a nice round number, and bet365 has taken Illinois‘ online sports betting market into double figures.
The British sportsbook is live and taking online and mobile sports bets in the state as of Thursday, March 13, the company confirmed to SBC Americas. The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) confirmed the launch in a press release.
bet365 was approved to launch both mobile and retail sports betting by the IGB in mid-December via a partnership with Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort. The operator told SBC Americas it has not yet launched retail wagering in the state.
Just in time for the March Madness betting season, it joins FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, BetRivers, ESPN Bet, Circa Sportsbook and Hard Rock Bet in offering sports wagers in the state.
“Championship-winning franchises, iconic athletes, and impassioned fans define Illinois’ Never Ordinary sports culture,” said a bet365 spokesperson. “Now, new and eligible bettors from Chicago, Springfield, and all of the Prairie State can join the bet365 experience.”
But wait, there's more…
— bet365 US (@bet365_us) March 16, 2025
bet365 is LIVE in Illinois! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/l9SXTvKchd
Tom Griffith, general manager of Walker’s Bluff, added that the casino resort is “extremely excited to offer our customers an award-winning mobile sports wagering experience with bet365.”
A bet365 spokesperson told SBC Americas recently that the operator’s main priority in the U.S. is “driving growth in our live states.” With Illinois added to the mix, it now offers sports betting in 12 states. That will become 13 whenever it launches in Tennessee, where it also has been approved for entry.
bet365 joins another of the largest American sports betting markets
Illinois is one of the largest online sports betting markets in the country and last fall became the fourth state after New York, New Jersey and Nevada to eclipse $40 billion in all-time handle.
As of the IGB’s January 2025 figures, FanDuel and DraftKings together accounted for 75% of the total $417.9 million that was bet online on pro sports in the state. FanDuel took $208.0 million in bets, while DraftKings handled $105.3 million. BetMGM was third with $30.6 million in pro sports bets.
Thanks to a change in its tax structure that was rubber-stamped by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the state’s budget last year, operators are taxed on a sliding scale from a low of 20% up to a maximum of 40%. That highest rate is only levied on gross gaming revenue above $200 million, and bet365 won’t be close to that threshold.
In Pennsylvania, a state of similar population in which bet365 launched last July, bet365 took $36 million in handle and made $2.7 million in GGR in January 2025. That ranked bet365 sixth of sports betting handle and equated to around 4.3% market share in the Keystone State.
