INDIANAPOLIS – Legal sports wagering is nearly a reality in Indiana as the State Senate passed a sports betting bill on Tuesday.
Indiana’s Senate voted on IN SB 552 on Tuesday and it passed with a 38-11 vote. Thanks to that, the bill is now being moved to the House where they will soon cast their vote on the bill. The main two sponsors of the bill are senators Mark Messmer and Jon Ford.
“Senate Bill 552 is a once in a generation opportunity to reset the casino industry in Indiana,” Messmer said.
Unrestricted Mobile Sports Betting
The bill carefully lays out what will and will not be allowed in regards to sports betting in Indiana. One of the main points that the bill says is that mobile sports betting will be included when this bill passes. The legislation states that people who wish to use their mobile device to bet on sports can either go to a facility to register in-person, or they just use their smartphone to register their account without having to go anywhere.
This is important it will have a huge effect on how much revenue the state will receive from sports wagering. New Jersey is one of the few states that currently have mobile wagering. It is also one of the few states that allow you to use your mobile device to place your bets without having to be in a gaming facility.
Thanks to mobile wagering, handle that New Jersey has received on sports bets is much higher compared to other states. A report from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement showed that 80 percent of the taxable money received from sports betting came from mobile wagering. This is good news for Indiana because the bill is planning to take the same path that New Jersey took for mobile wagering.
Esports Are Off The Books
IN SB 552 also has some rules in place on what you can and cannot bet on. The bill does not allow for bettors to wager on amateur games or eSports. Lawmakers also reserve the right to restrict other kinds of bets. An example of this is the state can ban bookmakers from having odds on Major League Baseball Spring Training games. There are also no integrity fees for sports leagues.
Now that the bill has passed, it will move on to the House to be voted on. There could be some trouble because House Speaker Brian Bosma has said that he sees the measure as an expansion of gambling. It could be possible that he could stop the bill from receiving a vote or the legislation will have to go to a statewide ballot. If neither happens, sportsbooks will soon open in Indiana.