Posted on: August 17, 2025, 05:33h.
Last updated on: August 17, 2025, 05:33h.
- Reacting to the recent state tax hike on sports betting
- Circa’s newly set $10 minimum is the highest issued so far
Circa Sports and ESPN Bet have joined their competitors in setting new minimum wager requirements for sports betting in Illinois, responding to the state’s recently imposed tax increase.
Starting August 8, ESPN Bet, operated by Penn Entertainment, has increased its minimum bet size to $1 in Illinois, an increase from the prior 10-cent requirement. In striking contrast, Circa has set a substantial $10 minimum, now the highest in the market.
“We are cautious about compromising our exceptional betting splits or imposing a per-bet fee on our customers,” acknowledged Circa Sports founder and CEO Derek Stevens on X. “Starting September 1, the $10 minimum bet will be enforced, safeguarding most bettors in Illinois. No one should incur a cost to place a wager.”
The fee he’s alluding to pertains to a per-bet transaction charge, which is being applied by companies like DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel to bettors in Illinois. The state has established a 25-cent fee per bet for the initial 20 million bets, which doubles to 50 cents for any bets exceeding that number.
Circa’s Decision to Set Minimum Bets in Illinois
Circa’s transition to new minimum bet sizes in Illinois isn’t unexpected, especially after recently securing an unrestricted sports betting license in Missouri. Stevens had hinted at this possibility well before making it official.
In a June appearance on the Vegas Stats & Information Network’s (VSiN) “Follow the Money” show, Stevens expressed that the state’s decision to introduce a transaction tax for each bet would likely signal the end of small bets without minimums.
In a video shared on X, Stevens emphasized that Circa will resist implementing a per-bet fee, asserting that their transition aims to “protect the sports bettor,” stressing that “real sports bettors in Illinois shouldn’t face a fee to place a bet.”
This stance indirectly critiques competitors like DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel, which are known to charge transaction fees in Illinois.
Public Opinion on Illinois Minimums
With the addition of Circa and ESPN Bet, there are now at least five operators in Illinois enforcing bet size requirements, alongside BetMGM, Hard Rock, and Rush Street Interactive. These adjustments come in response to the state’s second tax increase on sports betting within a year.
Nonetheless, the small minimum bet sizes are generally welcomed by the public, as they remain well below the average wager size for most bettors.
In contrast, the transaction fees have been met with criticism, with both bettors and industry commentators claiming that companies like DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel are merely shifting their tax burdens onto customers.