An Illinois'responsible gambling bill, which would require online sports wagering operators to show a pop-message directing customers to a website with resources for gambling addiction assistance after every 10 wagers placed, passed out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday. The bill is on track for a full vote in the Senate.
SB 1508, proposed by state Sen. Bill Cunningham, would add an additional level of responsible gambling information beyond what is required by law found in both the Sports Wagering Act and Administrative Code. The Sports Wagering Act was part of a massive gambling expansion bill signed into law in June 2019 that legalized sports wagering in the state.
Illinois currently requires operators to display a statement on their websites regarding how to obtain assistance to deal with gambling problems.
“Illinois has been a leader in the regulation of sports betting, and we need to ensure that we are also addressing the potential harms associated with gambling addiction,” said Cunningham, whose constituency includes portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs of the city. “By requiring sports wagering apps to display a pop-up message with resources for gambling addiction assistance, we can help individuals who may be struggling with problem gambling access the help they need.”