It looks like Indiana is the latest state to open its doors to sports betting. Following in the footsteps of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the Hoosier state is looking to cash in on the latest gold rush.
It was only last year that the US senate threw out the old PASPA act which had banned online gambling, leaving it up to each state to choose whether they would allow sports betting. In 2019 it may be a long list of US sportsbooks but they are spread out among various states.
It’s the New Jersey sportsbooks that are leading the way, but now Pennsylvania and Indiana are chomping at their heels! On October 3rd Indiana allowed online sports betting and already three major sportsbooks in Indiana have set up shop.
The state stands at a slight advantage of course as it already has an established gambling scene with famous sites like the Indiana Grand Casino and the Rising Star Casino Resort. The three online sportsbooks in Indiana are all partnered with existing establishments.
So far, it is DraftKings, BetRivers and FanDuel that are up and running in the state so far. These are all pretty big names, and an impressive list considering it has only been a month since the state went live with online sports betting.
The growth looks set to continue with another bunch of big names expected, including Fox Bet and William Hill. The latter already has a partnership with the Tropicana Evansville Casino, so it is only a matter of time before they launch their Indiana service.
A reason for the state’s success in attracting investment is their low tax rate of 9.5% on gambling revenue. Compare this to PA’s 36% rate and you can see why. It is also surrounded by states such as Chicago, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky which have not legalised sports betting. This could result in some sports betting tourism with people crossing the border to place their bets.
Then there is the sporting heritage in Indiana. For a state of 6.6 million, it punches above its weight and is represented in both the NFL and NBA by the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers respectively.
Last but not least there is the Indy 500 which is already a focus for the Indiana based sportsbooks. One advantage of having state-specific apps is that the sportsbooks can create a more bespoke offering for the residents of that state. This will certainly be the case when it comes to the Indianan’s love for motorsports.