Las Vegas-based sportsbook operator Circa Sports has announced that the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has approved its online sports betting licence application, putting it on pace to debut in the state as soon as August this year. The application for sports betting/wagering license was filed by Circa around a year ago. Following the approval, Circa Sports will now be required to send a written request to the state regulator to start accepting bets on sports in the state. Upon approval, Circa Sports will become the 8th gaming company to offer online sports betting in the 6th-biggest state of the country.

When asked for expected launch date, the gaming services provider said gaming enthusiasts could expect the new service to be available sometime in late August. It is worth-mentioning here that state gaming regulators are infamously slow when it comes to granting approval new gaming licenses. However, that doesn’t explain why it is taking such a long time for Circa Sports to debut its mobile sports wagering services in Illinois.

In response to another query, the company noted that its widely-popular NFL contests, viz. Circa Millions and Circa Survivor, will continue to be available only in the area of Las Vegas. However, that could change sometime in the future.

Last year, Circa Sports expanded its national footprint by launching a new retail sportsbook in Illinois in partnership with Full House Resorts. At the time, the company had announced that it would also provide mobile sports wagering in the state subject to customary regulatory approvals.

At the time, Full House Resorts CEO Dan Lee said, “They are the most successful new casino to have opened in Las Vegas since Wynn opened in 2004 and there’s been a number of failures (since then). But they focused on sports betting more than anyone else. It’s all over the place, it’s out by their pool, it’s in their casino, and it works. We’re pretty happy to be partnering with them.”

Founded by casino tycoon Derek Stevens, Circa Sports started operations on 1st of June in 2019. It is named after Las Vegas-based Circa Resort & Casino. The resort includes Circa Sports’ flagship sportsbook, which offers 1,000 gaming positions spread across three floors. The company’s other locations in Las Vegas includes the Golden Gate and The D Las Vegas.

After Colorado, Iowa and Nevada, Illinois will become the fourth state in which Circa Sports will offer mobile sports wagering.