Key to those Springfield negotiations was inclusion of the so-called “penalty box” period for online giants such as DraftKings and FanDuel, meaning they’re barred from applying for $20 million sports wagering licenses until 18 months months after the casinos nab their licenses at a fraction of the cost. The war of wagering words shows there’s been no love lost between the online-only operators and their brick-and-mortar casino nemeses since Illinois’ gambling power players introduced legal sports betting to the state with the massive gambling expansion signed into law by Pritzker last summer.
