BetRivers Sportsbook Raises Minimum Bet Requirement in Illinois

The battle over a new per-bet tax is still raging in Illinois.

Chicago-based Rush Street Interactive has increased its minimum bet to $1 for all BetRivers Sportsbook wagers placed in Illinois. Chief Financial Officer Kyle Sauers shared the news on a Q2 earnings call where the controversial tax was a central topic. He confirmed that the change is an effort to offset the revenue lost from the controversial new tax.

“On Illinois, we haven’t shared plans yet on exactly what we plan to do,” the CFO said on the call. “We’re trying to make sure we’re blending goals of a great player experience, but also appropriate economics for us.

RSI had previously been silent since the per-bet tax went live. Their deep ties to the state had some wondering if the company would limit its response, but those hopes have been dashed. While the initial response has been milder than many other operators, that could change over the coming month.

“What we have done to date is we’ve moved the minimum bet up to $1, “Sauers confirmed. “That’s the move thus far, but we’re remaining flexible to figure out the right way to approach it as we get towards NFL season.”

DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Fanatics, and Hard Rock have also made changes to pass the cost of the new tax on to bettors.

Chicago May Throw Fuel on the Fire

The Chicago City Council recently shared the idea of adding a per-bet tax of its own during a recent meeting. It was shared by a council member who had received it from a city resident. No bill has been introduced, but the mention of it has attracted plenty of attention from the sports betting industry.

Currently, Chicago receives some tax revenue from the industry. However, a per-bet tax would add tens of millions more. Given that the majority of bets are placed from the Chicago area, there is a belief that the city should receive a bigger cut.

Illinois’ thriving sports betting market is in danger of faltering as tensions rise between operators and lawmakers. If Chicago were to make an effort to add a tax of its own, it could lead operators to increase fees for bettors further or simply exit the market.