Top Stories In Indiana Gambling 2019: Sports Betting

As the new year draws near, we seize the chance to look back at some of the most significant gambling stories from Indiana in 2019.

Undoubtedly, Indiana’s gaming industry experienced an exceptional year in 2019. A substantial gambling expansion for the state was initiated when Gov. Eric Holcomb signed HB 1015 in May.

Many of those elements are still unrealized, but one significant one has been actualized: legal sports betting.

Indiana launches live sports betting

In September, sports betting was initiated in casinos throughout the state. However, the true revenue-generator, online sports betting, began in early October with the launch of DraftKings Sportsbook and BetRivers.

Indiana, being the 13th state in the US to introduce sports betting, instantly gained from its neighboring states that lacked sports betting. In October alone, two Indiana casinos, located within 30 miles of downtown Chicago, jointly accounted for over $17 million in retail handle.

Meanwhile, situated just half an hour away from downtown Cincinnati, Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg secured the second spot in the state’s October rankings, with a handle intake of $6.9 million.

The land-based figures are impressive, but they may not hold up. When Illinois initiates sports betting, live wagering at Horseshoe Hammond and Ameristar East Chicago is expected to suffer.

Similarly, if Ohio legalizes sports betting, the increased foot traffic currently experienced by the Ohio Hollywood Casino will likely decrease. However, the growing trend of online sports betting could potentially offset these losses.

Online sportsbook market in Indiana is robust and expanding.

The Hoosier State is seeing promising progress in the development of online sportsbooks. The DraftKings Sportsbook mobile app recorded $39.3 million in bets, constituting 43% of all handle, in October. FanDuel Sportsbook, which launched at the end of October, reported $2.4 million in handle.

Full House CEO Dan Lee predicts that at least two additional online sportsbooks will be live in Indiana by the end of the year.

Lee stated that Smarkets and the SBTech-driven brand, BetAmerica from Churchill Downs, have plans to launch by the end of 2019. It’s reasonable to assume that the third partner, WynnBet Indiana Sportsbook on the BetBull platform, would also want to be operational by the time the Super Bowl takes place.

Other companies such as PointsBet and BetIndiana are also planning to join the online sports betting industry in Indiana in early 2020. The state had a promising beginning in the sports betting market in the last months of 2019 and it’s expected that Indiana’s standing will further strengthen in 2020.