Sports betting will go live in Indiana on 1 September after the state Gaming Commission approved regulations for the vertical, with five casinos also authorized to launch retail wagering.
The Indiana Gaming Commission confirmed to iGB North America that sports betting controls were formally adopted at yesterday’s (28 August) meeting.
The meeting also saw five casinos approved to launch in-person wagering from 1 September, the first date from which legal bets can be taken. Temporary certificates of authority, effectively an interim license, have been awarded to 14 casinos to date, but the Gaming Commission must still give its approval for each venue to launch sports betting.
Penn National Gaming’s Ameristar East Casino in East Chicago and Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Lawrenceburg have been given the green light to launch from that date. Blue Sky Casinos’ French Lick Casino – partnered with Rush Street Gaming – as well as Caesars Entertainment’s Horseshoe Casino in Hammond and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino just south-east of Indianapolis have also been given the go-ahead.
Ameristar East Casino, Hollywood Casino and Indiana Grand will host opening events on 1 September, while Horseshoe will launch on 4 September and French lick on 6 September, all in time for the first NFL weekend of the season.
The regulations in Indiana allow for online and mobile sports wagering, but no casino has yet been approved to launch an interactive offering.
Governor Eric Holcomb signed Indiana’s sports betting bill into law in May, allowing betting across a range of professional and collegiate sports. The sports betting regulations, which include a 9.5% tax on sports bets winnings, will last for 90 days, with a further optional 90-day extension period while the state drafts permanent regulations.