When the Illinois Legislature approved a huge expansion of gambling in 2019, it set the stage for a long-discussed city-owned Chicago casino. It also made possible the emergence of sportsbooks—betting parlors at the city’s sports arenas.

And if we believe a line of argument that has emerged in recent weeks, the launch of one could pose a mortal threat to the success of the other.

That’s right. In the eyes of Neil Bluhm—a gambling magnate and favorite to win the bidding to build and operate Chicago’s city-owned casino—the team-run sportsbooks could undermine the very business model of the Chicago betting house.