New Governor J.B Pritzker has raised hopes of legal Illinois sports betting after including $200 million in future tax revenue from wagering activities in his 2020 budget proposal.

Pritzker is proposing to legalize sports betting at facilities across the state, including in-person and online gambling. Those betting via the internet would be able to do so from inside Illinois or in a jurisdiction that has entered into a reciprocal agreement with the state.

Pritzker has said Illinois could generate between $384m and $680m in gross sports betting revenue per year under full implementation. Based on the proposed 20% tax rate, this would generate tax revenue of between $77m and $136m each year.

Such is Pritzker’s confidence that legislation to bring Illinois sports betting will pass, he has included around $17 million of tax revenue in the budget forecast for fiscal year 2020, with $12 million of this to be transferred into the general funds after estimated potential expenses to administer sports wagering were deducted.

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