Indiana Gaming Commission Approves Sports Betting Regulations

Sports betting can begin September 1, 2019 in Indiana.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg will officially be able to offer legal sports betting starting this Labor Day weekend.

The Indiana Gaming Commission met Wednesday and voted unanimously to approve emergency rules to enact the sports wagering provisions included in House Enrolled Act 1015. The new state law passed earlier this year allows Indiana to have sports betting effective Sunday, September 1, 2019.

The approved IGC emergency rules on sports wagering can be viewed below.

Each of Indiana’s 13 casinos will be able to offer sports betting, but only after applying to the IGC and receiving approval. Sports open to betting in Indiana will include professional and college baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, and more.

So far, five casinos have received the IGC’s blessing, including Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg, Indiana Grand Casino in Shelbyville, Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, and French Lick Casino.

IGC executive director Sara Tait said she anticipates consideration of approvals for other casinos to happen soon.

Hollywood Casino announced earlier this month it was planning to offer sports wagering at its new sports book starting September 1. A ceremonial ribbon cutting with Cincinnati sports legends Anthony Munoz and Tony Perez will be held September 7.

Fiscal predictions estimate that sports betting would generate $87 million in tax revenue annually by 2024. Sports betting is taxed at 9.5 percent under the new state law, but all of that revenue goes to the state’s coffers, none to local casino host communities like Lawrenceburg or Rising Sun.

Indiana is the 13th state to legalize sports wagering following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision which found unconstitutional a 1992 federal law banning sports betting.

The new law also allows bettors to place their bets using their mobile devices after first registering at a casino. But mobile betting won’t be available until casinos make arrangements with online betting operators. Casinos could begin offering mobile betting by the end of 2019.

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