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Illinois sports betting bill paves way for leagues to cash in

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Illinois passed a sports betting bill over the weekend that includes mobile betting, in-venue kiosks and, most notably, a mandate that operators use official league data for in-play and prop bets.

Details: Casinos, racetracks and other brick-and-mortar venues can offer mobile betting right away, while online-only operators like DraftKings and FanDuel must wait 18 months before entering the market. Large venues like Soldier Field and Wrigley Field would be able to apply for licenses to add on-site betting kiosks.

  • D.C. is the only other place where this is the case, though its regulations still haven't been finalized.

The big picture: The official league data mandate, which Tennessee also included in its bill last month, is the most significant part of this bill, as it provides a potential template for leagues to make money.

  • The leagues' initial attempts to fill their coffers through integrity fees (basically taking a cut of every bet) failed. Requiring operators to pay them for data, instead, seems like a logical alternative — and they just got two big wins.
  • Sportsbooks and casinos don't like this, of course, because it forces them to pay for league data instead of letting them make that decision on their own. And thus, the saga continues.

Go deeper

Sara Fischer, Kyle Daly
42 mins ago - Technology

Fringe right plots new attacks out of sight

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Domestic extremists are using obscure and private corners of the internet to plot new attacks ahead of Inauguration Day. Their plans are also hidden in plain sight, buried in podcasts and online video platforms.

Why it matters: Because law enforcement was caught flat-footed during last week's Capitol siege, researchers and intelligence agencies are paying more attention to online threats that could turn into real-world violence.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Sara Fischer, Margaret Harding McGill
2 hours ago - Technology

Kids’ screen time up 50% during pandemic

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

When the coronavirus lockdowns started in March, kidstech firm SuperAwesome found that screen time was up 50%. Nearly a year later, that percentage hasn't budged, according to new figures from the firm.

Why it matters: For most parents, pre-pandemic expectations around screen time are no longer realistic. The concern now has shifted from the number of hours in front of screens to the quality of screen time.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer
10 hours ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: D.C. and U.S. states on alert for pre-inauguration violence

National Guard troops stand behind security fencing with the dome of the U.S. Capitol Building behind them, on Jan. 16. Photo: Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Security has been stepped up in Washington, D.C., and state capitols across the U.S. as authorities brace for potential violence this weekend.

Driving the news: Following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by some supporters of President Trump, the FBI has said there could be armed protests in D.C. and in all 50 state capitols in the run-up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday.

See photos (<1 min. read)Arrow

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