In-person betting at Wrigley Field will soon be no more as DraftKings announced plans to end operations at its ballpark sportsbook.
A spokesperson for the sports betting company said it “has made the decision to discontinue onsite sportsbook operations” at the Friendly Confines, “following a review of our retail presence in Illinois.”
According to the company, the venue will remain open, but in-person sports betting will no longer be offered.
“While we are proud of what we have built alongside the Chicago Cubs, we are taking a more focused approach to where we invest in the state. The cost of operating in Illinois, including its high tax structure, makes it more difficult to justify continued investment in a standalone retail sportsbook,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We remain committed to serving our mobile sportsbook customers.”
The Cubs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The space officially opened in 2024, featuring two levels designed like a stadium, with a lower level for tables and a bar and an upper level for additional seating and private events.
Since it was legalized in 2019, the amount of money wagered by Illinois sports bettors has skyrocketed.
But in 2025, Illinois quietly increased the costs associated with the rising trend, becoming the first state in the country to impose a per-wager fee. Under the law, for the first 20 million wagers placed annually, sportsbooks will be charged a $0.25 fee per wager. That fee increases to $0.50 once the threshold is met.
The Sports Betting Alliance, a lobbying group that represents DraftKings and other popular sportsbooks, called the tax “discriminatory, punitive and constitutionally suspect.”
Meanwhile, as of Jan. 1, Chicago had a 10.25% “sports wagering tax.”
