HB 1015, a contested and controversial bill regarding Indiana sports betting, finally passed in 2019. What this means for Hoosiers is that Indiana online sports betting is finally legal! Here’s all you need to know for when operators finally start releasing their legal sports betting apps in Indiana.
Legal IN Sportsbooks
As we’ve stated above, Indiana online sports betting was only just signed into law. There are no apps or websites offering legal online sports betting yet, but that’s because each operator has to hire an attorney and eventually pay a large licensing fee to legally offer online betting.
We expect that the coming weeks will be explosive for Indiana online sports betting as websites and apps finish their development phases. The fine details of legal online sports betting in Indiana are still being ironed out, but September 2019 is the earliest we expect online sports betting apps to release.
A few casinos will likely be the first to implement legal online sports betting, so we’ll list those for you. In addition, a few websites are “online wagering platforms” with no physical location, so we expect these operators to jump on the chance to do business in the new Indiana market as well. Here’s a rundown of casinos in Indiana we expect to release online sportsbook apps in September.
List of Indiana Casinos
- Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg
- Tropicana Evansville
- French Lick Resort Casino
- Harrah’s Hoosier Park
- Indiana Grand Casino
- Ameristar
- Belterra Casino
- Blue Chip Casino
- Horseshoe Casino
- Majestic Star
- Majestic Star II
- Rising Star Casino Resort
- Four Winds South Bend (tribal casino)
Of the thirteen eligible casinos in Indiana, four of them have a leg up on the retail sportsbook industry, so look for their IN sports betting apps first:
French Lick Casino
The French Lick casino has been working on building a sports bar in anticipation of opening a physical sportsbook for months now. Usually, when a racino or casino has an online sportsbook, they have a bar dedicated to Indiana sports betting as well.
A favorite location for Hoosiers looking to spend a great weekend away from home, the French Lick is going to take that famous customer service and put it online, and we can’t wait! Look for the French Lick Rewards program to earn even more points for playing. Earning tier levels in the French Lick casino will get you exclusive casino offers, giveaways, and more!
Harrah’s Hoosier Park
Naturally, Harrah’s Hoosier Park is backed by Harrah’s, a well-known name in casinos. Likewise, Harrah’s Hoosier Park is a Caesars property, so the framework is already in place for a great app with a substantial rewards program. We expect Harrah’s to be one of the first operators to release an app, and we expect it soon– the only thing standing between Harrah’s and legal operation of a sportsbook is the licensing fee.
The Caesars Rewards program is available to you whether you’re playing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park or the Indiana Grand Racing Casino, so take a look at their perks and tier rewards before signing up for your account in September.
Tropicana Casino Evansville
The Tropicana Evansville is a Tropicana property, so there is already an app for users in other states. Tropicana properties in states like New Jersey will typically partner with existing sportsbooks to do business, so it is possible that the Tropicana Evansville will link up with another casino to offer legal online sports betting. We expect the Tropicana to port this app over to Indiana users in short order, so look forward to a well-designed app with the benefit of the Trop Rewards program!
Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg
Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg is a property of Penn National, a famed casino brand offering legal, online sports betting in Pennsylvania (and now Indiana)! Again, as with the Tropicana and Hooser Park, Hollywood Casino’s parent company is already doing good business with a respected app in another state. The Marquee Rewards program is one to take advantage of, offering comps on food, hotel stays, and more.
We mention these four casinos because we expect them to be first among Indiana casinos to release their online sportsbooks. There are a few other sites offering legal online sports betting that aren’t affiliated with a casino, so we will overview those for you as well.
Legal Online Indiana Sports Betting
Legally speaking, it only just became legal for sportsbooks to exist in Indiana. That’s why we are seeing such a scramble for places like French Lick to establish on-site gambling. Legalization of sports betting is a very new thing. That being said, several sites like DraftKings and FanDuel have been offering online sports betting in other states, and that experience is going to count in the coming months.
DraftKings
DraftKings boasts promotions and bonuses in the hundreds of dollars. Also, it’s definitely a worthwhile way to spend your play money betting on your favorite sports online. As sports betting just became legal in Indiana, it’s going to take some time for casinos and racinos to get on the ball and release online versions of their sportsbooks. DraftKings, an online wagering service, will not suffer from the same bureaucratic slog, so we expect to see their app released in Indiana very soon.
FanDuel
Likewise, FanDuel is a similar story to DraftKings. Having been operating an online sportsbook for some time now, we expect this well-streamlined app to be among the first released in Indiana. With a great calendar of promotions and a whole bunch of sports to bet on (even darts), FanDuel will be a great addition to legal online sports betting in Indiana.
Indiana Sports Betting on Mobile
The history of legalized sports gambling, particularly legal online sports betting, is relatively complicated in Indiana. Until recently, Indiana residents were only allowed to bet on horse racing. With the recent overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, sports betting became legal on a federal level.
States all over the country are jumping at the chance to use legalized gambling to better local economies and offer residents a place to bet on sports legally and safely. Indiana is no different, and lawmakers have been pushing for legal online sports betting in IN for the better part of a year.
In Indiana, it started with Senate Bill 552. SB 552 was one of the first attempts to get online gambling legalized in the state of Indiana. After being approved by the Senate, then rewritten without mobile betting, the bill was signed into law in 2019. An amendment was made to indeed allow mobile betting from smartphones in Indiana: the final text of HB 1015 does allow a provision for mobile betting, tucked into Chapter 5, Section 12 of the bill.
After being tossed back and forth, amended and re-amended, the final version of HB 1015 was signed into law in summer 2019. We expect mobile betting apps to start piling in as soon as operators have paid licensing fees and signed contracts– licensing fees were recently reduced from $100,000 to $10,000.
Indiana Sports Betting Apps
When we start seeing legal online sports betting flood the Indiana market, it’s going to be dizzying to figure out which online sportsbooks to choose! Look for sportsbooks offering trusted service and hosting promotions that work for you. Then, when you’re ready to start playing, follow these simple instructions to get the apps on your device.
For iOS Users:
Most online sportsbooks in other states are relatively easier to find and download for iOS users. Generally, just go the App Store and search for your favorite app. When Indiana apps start coming on the market, it’s as simple as a tap and download for Apple users.
For Android Users:
The Google Play store does not yet allow any real-money gambling apps on its platform. The process is relatively simple, though. Just go to your favorite sportsbook’s website on your Android device. Then, tap the Download for Android button to download the .apk file. Make sure to “Allow installations from unknown sources”. Finally, install the app!
Remember, check for rewards programs and deposit bonus promotions before opening your account. Generally, deposit bonuses only count for the first deposit!
Indiana Sports Betting Licenses
So, now that everything is legal on the state level, how do operators do business in Indiana? It’s a relatively simple process to understand, but like most bureaucracy, it takes time.
The Indiana Gaming Commission is in charge of making sure all IN sports betting online is conducted legally and safely. As per HB 1015, there are a few requirements for an operator to offer legal online sports betting in Indiana.
First off, most physical locations are required to have an area of the venue dedicated solely to sports betting. French Lick is an example of a casino attempting to enter the sportsbook market without a physical location. We expect their in-person sportsbook to open in Fall 2019.
Land-Based Partnerships for Indiana Sports Betting
Casinos in other states, such as Tropicana in NJ, have partnered with existing sportsbooks to speed up the process. This allowed them to start offering players legal sports betting. As there are no existing sportsbooks in Indiana yet, we’re hoping most casinos will quickly prepare a physical location. Simultaneously, we hope they put together stellar betting apps for Indiana players.
Licensing Fees
The second issue getting in the way of legal online sports betting apps in Indiana is, of course, money. The licensing fees started out in the $100,000 dollar range. That meant a $100,000 initial licensing fee was required to offer Indiana online sports betting.
The recent legislation on the table reduced the licensing fee to $10,000 in Indiana. Luckily, this is a far cry from the $250,000 that New Jersey sports betting operators have to pay to be licensed. That $10,000 fee is included in the final version of HB 1015. Thus, we expect things to stay the same until this fall.
The process should be a lot smoother for new operators to offer legal sports bets in Indiana. However, that fee reduction also means that online sports betting will go live until September 2019. Still, lower licensing fees will lead to more competition. Of course, this is always better for folks looking for Indiana betting.
PASPA Struck Down
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was a piece of legislation designed to fight illegal sports gambling. PASPA was essentially a blanket law making it illegal to bet on sports on the federal level. PASPA was overturned in 2018, with a 6-3 vote deciding that PASPA was unconstitutional.
What this means for IN sports betting is that there are no federal limits to sports betting. Indiana lawmakers have already approved HB 1015. Now, after a short deliberation period, Governor Eric Holcombe signed HB 1015 into law in May 2019.
Where to bet on sports in other states:
| California |
 |
| Delaware |
 |
| Maine | |
| Michigan |
 |
| Nevada |
 |
| New Hampshire |
 |
| New Jersey |
 |
| New York |
 |
| Pennsylvania |
 |
| Rhode Island |
 |
| Tennessee |
 |
| West Virginia |
 |
The Future of Indiana Sports Betting
As we wait for casinos to get set up, be sure to check out active sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Also, look at the way the Tropicana and Caesars locations do business in other states. Plus, you can even play some of their online casino games for free. Likewise, check out the layout and interface for their online sportsbooks.
Take time to do your research, and choose the operator with the features that work best for you. It’s only a matter of time before your favorite casinos set up sports betting! So, check back with us for the latest on legal online sports betting in Indiana!
