Open For Business: DraftKings, BetRivers Launch Online Sports Betting In Indiana

The dawn of a new day in the Hoosier State brings confirmation that BetRivers Sportsbook will launch their online operations today, Thursday, Oct. 3.

In a press release, Richard Schwartz, President of Rush Street Interactive, commented on the launch.

Is there a more opportune time to launch than during the peak of the football season, the commencement of baseball playoffs, and right before the return of basketball? We are confident that our players in Indiana will greatly value the convenience of placing bets online, enhancing the thrill of these sporting events.

“Our success and experience in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York enable us to pinpoint player’s desires – a vast array of sports betting options delivered through reliable and scalable technology, coupled with swift payouts and responsive customer service.”

DraftKings Sportsbook, having received authorization from the Indiana Gaming Commission yesterday, is also anticipated to start accepting its first bets today, provided there are no unforeseen issues.

Currently, BetRivers Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook are the only legal mobile sportsbooks in the state, although it may not be long before others join the competition.

Residents and visitors can now place online bets in Indiana, considering a few factors.

What should you know about the BetRivers and DraftKings mobile sportsbooks?

Rush Street Interactive runs the BetRivers mobile sports betting app under the French Lick Casino’s license. The company also operates mobile sportsbooks under the Sugarhouse brand in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. However, these sportsbooks will soon be rebranded as BetRivers.

DraftKings has entered the Indiana market through its partnership with Penn National Gaming, which operates the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago. Hence, DraftKings is now operational in the Hoosier State.

Upon launching in Pennsylvania, Sugarhouse required all customers to create a new account, regardless of whether they had an existing account in New Jersey. Similarly, those who are already registered with French Lick’s retail books should anticipate completing the online registration process.

Conversely, those with a DraftKings account should be ready to proceed. Thanks to DraftKings’ single app strategy, existing customers should be able to access their accounts in Indiana once their location is verified to be in the state.

To register for new accounts at either sportsbook, among other things, you need to provide a government-issued ID to verify your age.

Also, the registration process will require your legal address. Even though you don’t need to be an Indiana resident to place a bet, you must be physically present within the state boundaries at the time of betting.

Your social security number will also be requested by BetRivers and DraftKings. This is a legitimate request, so there’s no need for alarm. It assists in verifying your identity, and additionally, sportsbooks have obligations to report taxes.

Both online sportsbooks in Indiana, DraftKings and BetRivers, provide desktop websites. DraftKings features an app compatible with both Android and iOS devices. BetRivers also offers an Android app, however, it’s not available in the Google Play Store.

Although both apps and sites should reflect a local touch, the framework that delivers betting products to Indianans has an international feel.

Kambi launches both books simultaneously in Indiana.

In 2018, Rush Street Interactive signed a contract with Kambi, a UK-based company. Kambi is responsible for providing the software and technical support for the online sportsbooks where Rush Street functions.

DraftKings has a deal comparable to Kambi for its sportsbook.

Operators that haven’t contracted with Kambi may launch later this month or in the following months.

Those operators include:

• Caesars
• FanDuel
• Fox Bet
• PointsBet
• theScore

As of now, the Indiana Gaming Commission hasn’t included any of them in the list of operators approved for mobile sports betting apps. However, this could change at any given moment.

Now that BetRivers and DraftKings are live, their state competitors are keen to keep up. Mobile betting has revolutionized the game and the convenience it offers is spurring more individuals to participate actively.

Currently, BetRivers and DraftKings hold a monopoly in sports betting in Indiana. While this is unlikely to continue for long, it’s a significant development for the industry.