A dispute that could keep sports fans in Chicago from betting on the Bears' playoff run is now spilling into the courts.
A group representing sports betting operations is suing the city over planned new regulations and fees.
The Sports Betting Alliance represents companies including FanDuel and DraftKings.
Its lawsuit filed Tuesday in Cook County claims that the city still has not spelled out how it plans to enforce new regulations of those companies starting on Thursday, January 1.
Two weeks ago, the alliance sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson's office, suggesting that betting sites could stop accepting wagers from sports fans in Chicago starting Thursday if rules are not spelled out. At that time, alliance president Joe Maloney said these regulations are on top of the industry's existing licensing requirements and fees.
"When you have an additional layer of regulation, an additional regulatory framework placed upon us, we have to follow licensing requirements, and we take that very very seriously," Maloney told WBBM Newsradio.
The group wants a judge to block implementation of the new ordinance, and to declare it unconstitutional.
Mayor Johnson's office will only say it's reviewing the lawsuit.