Four Winds South Bend Close To Offering Sports Betting & Table Games

The Four Winds Casino is on the verge of transforming into a gambling hotspot in northern Indiana.

The South Bend Casino is close to obtaining Class III gaming through the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.

This would position Four Winds as a fully-fledged competitor against the other casinos in the state.

Four Winds is adding slot machines and table games.

What exactly does Class III gaming entail? Essentially, it encompasses everything you would typically associate with a traditional casino experience.

Currently, Four Winds only provides games where bettors compete against one another, instead of against the house.

The casino’s current offerings, which resemble slot machines, are actually a form of electronic bingo. This, along with pull tabs and poker, are the only gambling options available at the casino.

Allowing real slot machines and table games like blackjack, Class III gaming would bring about this change.

Taxes on Four Winds Casino in Indiana

Four Winds has been waiting for a long time for the expansion of gambling.

Back in August 2019, the Tribe submitted a request to Gov. Holcomb to initiate the process.

Negotiations have been ongoing between the state and the Tribe since that time. Both sides are obligated by federal law to settle on a tribal-state compact, which is the reason for the lengthy time taken to finalize.

Next, the Indiana General Assembly, which is currently in session, needs to ratify the compact.

Tribal casinos, operating on sovereign land, cannot be subjected to state taxation like conventional casinos.

Nonetheless, Indiana may demand taxes for Class III gaming. Even so, this is unlikely to deter the Tribe from proceeding, as it would remain more profitable for them in the long term.

The Tribe has already consented to a tax rate of 8% on its yearly slot machine earnings. For comparison, the Four Winds establishments in Michigan contribute 6% of their slot earnings to the state.

Blue Chip Casino competition

Assuming the compact proceeds smoothly, Four Winds will emerge as a new competitor in Indiana’s casino market.

Four Winds could control the gambling scene in northeast Indiana because of its location in South Bend.

The Tribe’s expansion might lead to a decline in business for casinos located further west.

This particularly pertains to Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, roughly 45 minutes west of Four Winds. Given the availability of a nearer option, gamblers in South Bend and other areas in the northeast may be less inclined to undertake a longer journey to visit Blue Chip.

Four Winds’ claim to a portion of the market ensures that no matter where gamblers reside in Indiana, they will have a casino within their vicinity.

The property will feature a sportsbook.

The Class III compact also includes an intriguing provision that permits Four Winds to establish its own sportsbook.

It is probable that this will occur as the other Four Winds locations in Michigan already operate their own sportsbooks.

However, don’t anticipate Four Winds forming a partnership with an online sportsbook.

In Indiana, online betting apps are required to partner with a retail casino before they can commence business.

The agreement between the Tribe and the state will avert such occurrences at Four Winds.

The agreement stipulates that internet gambling is restricted to the property only. This means, even when Four Winds initiates an online sportsbook, it will be accessible only if you are present at the casino.

Essentially, this negates the concept, as you could simply utilize the casino’s retail sportsbook to place your bets if you’re already required to be there.

The same rule is also applicable to online casino games. Even though online casinos are not yet legal in Indiana, there might be a change in this situation soon.

Even though the introduction of Class III gaming represents significant progress for Four Winds, the Tribe will remain somewhat behind the rest of the state in terms of online gaming.