Indiana is yet to come to the party in terms of legalizing sports betting in the state.
However, lawmakers are now pushing hard to ensure that they waste no more time. There are currently three bills in the state legislature right now, two of them in the Senate and one in the House. Analysts are very confident that at least one of these bills will be adopted before the year is over.
What will need to be determined is the specifics of sports-betting and if all key parties can come to a mutual decision, sports betting should be legalized very soon.
Inside Indiana Business
Last year, two bills were introduced to allow sports betting in the state. They only got as far as the state’s Public Policy Committee. This year, lawmakers are a lot more optimistic. Senator Jon Ford and Representative Alan Morrison, both Republicans from Terre Haute, have submitted their own bills. A third bill was submitted by Senator Mar Messmer, a Republican from Jasper.
Though these are all technically pushing for legalized sports betting, they each have different approaches on how it should be implemented. The final bill will determine where and how sports bettors will be placing their wagers. One of the debates is whether bettors have to go to a casino or an off-track betting parlor to bet on their favorite teams or if they should be able to place their wagers online.
Many experts favour Senate Bill 552, the one authored by Messmer as the clear winner. This is mostly because it has everything about sports betting covered. It also helps that Messmer is the Senate Majority Floor Leader and a member of the Senate Committee on Public Policy, which gives it a major advantage already.
Bill 552 allows for sports betting at various gambling locations in Indiana which include the Vigo County casino and its satellite facilities, along with the riverboats and racinos. Plus, the bill allows for a transfer of a riverboat license to a different location, as well as two more licenses. It also allows for mobile betting and even includes provisions for live table games at race tracks.
The bill proposed by Morrison, on the other hand, requires gaming devices to be shipped to a licensed operator. Bettors can get these mobile devices as long as they register with the operator. This is similar to what Bill 552 proposes. Ford’s bill, meanwhile, has a similar feature. The difference is that bettors can register remotely or in-person. There is also a ban on bets on e-sports and high school games.
Overall, the three bills have a lot in common and it should not take long for legislators to finalize one bill and legalize sports betting in Indiana.
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