ILLINOIS LEGALIZES WAGERING AT TVG.COM. - Posted by KatA 

Illinois has just legalized wagering at TVG.com, the largest online wagering company in the U.S. This move will allow residents to place online bets on horse races around the world. In addition to providing worldwide wagering options, TVG.com will also show extensive on-track live television programming from Chicago’s Hawthorne racecourse. As Illinois is home to a significant horse breeding industry, this is huge news, especially considering the timing. With the Hawthorne races and the Breeder’s Cup coming up, Illinois fans are now facing their most exciting racing season yet. This is a positive move for Illinois horseracing fans and for the Illinois horseracing industry as well. The industry will receive a percentage of every wager placed on TVG.com by an Illinois resident. TVG.com will also promote and advertise Illinois racing. Gerard Cunningham, president of TVG.com’s parent company Betfair US, feels that this will definitely be a very positive move for the Illinois horseracing industry: "We believe that legal, regulated online betting will help reinvigorate the horseracing industry in Illinois. The convenience of being able to wager online, or away from home with your cell phone, will help attract a new audience and generation to racing." With several other states already approving online bets on horseracing, this could be the beginning of a trend. Many have expected horseracing to lead the way in online gaming legalization, and from the looks of things, that may be exactly what happens.