Legal Gambling In Indiana
Now that Indiana has legalized in-person and online sports betting, the state’s first ever sportsbooks and betting sites are open for business with the blessing of the state.
Where to Bet Online in Indiana
Indiana Casino Laws. Gambling at a land casino is completely legal in Indiana. When you visit any of the 13 casinos, you can engage in real money play as long as you are over the age of 21. Many of these locations also offer sportsbooks, so you can enjoy the thrills of sports wagering as well as casino gaming. What other gambling is legal in Indiana? Outside the casinos, horse race betting is popular in Indiana. Pari-mutuel betting was legalized in 1969. The two racinos at Hoosier Park and the Indiana Grand offer a full program of horse race betting. Both will soon add sports betting to their offer.
Casinos, racetracks and off-track betting parlors (OTBs) have been approved to open retail and online sportsbooks if licensed by the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC). Most such facilities have wisely chosen to take advantage of the opportunity and now hold sports betting licenses.
The state has approved the construction of twelve sportsbooks at casinos and three at OTB locations. Additionally, each approved license holder may operate up to three individual mobile sportsbooks (also known as “skins”).
This page will provide a continuously-updated list of Indiana sportsbooks along with other information such as launch dates, operating hours and so on as it becomes known. We’ll start with a list of online sportsbooks and follow that with a look at each retail sportsbook.
Mobile Sportsbooks in Indiana
Update: Mobile sports betting is now live in Indiana. DraftKings and BetRivers were approved to go live on October 3rd, 2019 and now offer online betting across the state. FanDuel followed suit less than a month later and BetAmerica came online in the final days of 2019. BetMGM and PointsBet joined the party in early 2020.
Under Indiana sports betting law, each licensee may partner with third-party service providers to operate up to three online sportsbooks. In this manner, experienced providers such as DraftKings and FanDuel may partner with land-based sportsbooks for access to the Indiana market.
The IGC oversees mobile betting in Indiana and has issued a handful of licenses to date. Below is a look at betting providers that have either already received IGC approval or that we believe will be approved in the near future.
We expect most or all of the big names in online betting will apply to offer their services in Indiana. With each licensee allowed to operate up to three skins, there will be no shortage of slots for experienced providers to enter the Indiana betting market.
Additionally, many of these providers already have long term partnerships with the parent companies of most Indiana casinos.
The law in Indiana should encourage many applicants. Reasonable license fees ($100K) and a 9.5% tax rate make Indiana an attractive market for sports betting operators.
Now, here’s a look at who we believe will be the main players in Indiana after mobile betting is given the green light.
- Website: www.draftkings.com
- IGC Status: Approved; now offering mobile betting in Indiana
- Partnered with: Ameristar East Chicago
DraftKings is partnered with Ameristar East Chicago to offer online betting in Indiana. After receiving a license from the Indiana Gaming Commission and approval to launch mobile betting, DraftKings Sportsbook went live in October 2019.
Now, DraftKings offers a full menu of mobile betting to Hoosier State residents and visitors. This includes standard pre-game wagers, in-play betting and special promotions for mobile and desktop users alike.
DraftKings will likely emerge as one of the dominant mobile betting apps in Indiana given its massive success in New Jersey. Additionally, DraftKings will benefit from name recognition and an established userbase due to its previous operations as one of the country’s two leading daily fantasy sites.
- Website: www.betrivers.com
- IGC Status: Approved; now offering mobile betting in Indiana
- Partnered with: French Lick Resort
Rush Street Interactive holds a sports wagering license in Indiana and has been approved to work in partnership with French Lick Resort. BetRivers Indiana launched mobile betting in Indiana in October 2019 on the same day DraftKings went live.
Parent company Rush Street Gaming operates a small chain of casinos across Illinois, Pennsylvania and New York in addition to running mobile betting sites under the BetRivers.com banner through its online-focused subsidiary Rush Street Interactive.
- Website: www.fanduel.com
- IGC Status: Approved; live in Indiana as of 22 October 2019
- Partnered with: Blue Chip Casino and Belterra Casino Resort
FanDuel parent company Betfair Interactive US was granted a sports wagering vendor license on August 8th of 2019 and received the green light to begin mobile betting two months later.
Just like DraftKings, FanDuel benefits from name recognition and a database of fantasy sports customers it can leverage to get a quick start in Indiana. Over in New Jersey, FanDuel has taken the lead as the most popular online sportsbook in terms of revenue and will be looking to do the same in Indiana.
FanDuel’s partnerships with Blue Chip Casino and Belterra Resort derive from a larger agreement FanDuel reached with Boyd Gaming in 2018. Under that agreement, the two companies have a deal in place to partner on sports betting in states where Boyd Gaming operates casinos when favorable legislation is enacted.
- Website: in.betmgm.com
- IGC Status: Approved; live in Indiana as of February 2020
- Partnered with: Belterra Casino Resort
BetMGM Sportsbook launched mobile betting in February 2020. In Indiana, the BetMGM license is issued to parent company Roar Digital, which was formed as a partnership between MGM Resorts International and international gaming operator GVC Holdings.
BetMGM features a slick mobile betting app and extensive coverage of sports – both in the US and abroad. Regular boosted odds promotions, cash back offers and “get more when your team scores” promos should make BetMGM an attractive option for bonus-oriented bettors.
- Website: https://pointsbet.com
- IGC Status: Approved; Live as of 5 March 2020
- Partnered with: Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg
Australian firm PointsBet first came to the US by way of New Jersey and offers a unique type of sports betting not yet offered anywhere else. In addition to offering standard sports wagers, PointsBet also allows users to place bets that offer variable payouts based on the accuracy of the prediction.
For example, consider a point total wager on an NBA game. If you were to place a PointsBet wager on this market, you would choose not only the over or under but also choose an amount to wager per point.
Imagine placing a wager of $1 per point on the over for a game in which the total is 205 points. If you’re right, you’ll be paid $1 for every point the final score goes over 205. If the final total ends up being 220 points, you would be paid $15.
Of course, this can also go against you. Get it wrong and you’ll be losing $1 for every point under 205 that the actual total ends up being. To continue our example, imagine the actual total ends up being 190 points. In that case, you would lose $15.
The Indiana Gaming Commission issued a sports betting license to PointsBet in January 2020 and the sportsbook launched two months later.
- Website: www.betamerica.com
- IGC Status: Approved; live in Indiana since December 2019
- Partnered with: Rising Star Casino
BetAmerica and parent company Churchill Downs have a partnership in place with Rising Star Casino to launch a retail sportsbook and mobile betting in Indiana. A launch date of December 30th was established by the IGC and BetAmerica went live on that date as scheduled.
- Website: in.caesarsonline.com
- IGC Status: Approved; live in Indiana since May 2020
- Partnered with: Horseshoe Hammond and Caesars Southern Indiana
Caesars Interactive serves as the online betting subdivision of Caesars Entertainment and launched statewide mobile betting in May 2020.
Bettors located in Indiana can visit in.caesarsonline.com to bet online from any desktop or mobile device or get the official app for iOS or Android. All new customers qualify for a sizable welcome bonus along with ongoing promos for regular users.
Penn Interactive
- Mobile launch date: Unknown
- IGC Status: Approved
- Partnered with: Hollywood Casino
Penn Interactive will be quite busy in the Indiana market with two land-based casinos in operation run by parent company Penn National and partnership agreements with multiple other online providers.
Recently, Penn National reached partnerships with theScore, FOX Bet, DraftKings and PointsBet to offer online betting in Indiana and other states. Penn Interactive also holds a sports wagering vendor license in Indiana.
In addition to working with other providers, Penn Interactive also has the option of running an online sportsbook under its own name with the assistance of Kambi.
- Website: www.williamhill.com
- Mobile launch date: October 2020
- IGC Status: Approved
- Partnered with: Tropicana Evansville
The IGC granted William Hill a sports betting vendor license to provide technology and ongoing assistance to Tropicana Evansville. The retail sportsbook opened in September 2019 and the mobile betting app debuted a little over one year later.
William Hill a strong contender in Indiana with significant experience both online and in-person. In addition to its many years in the international market, William Hill operates 100+ sportsbooks in Nevada, Iowa, West Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere.
- Website: www.betindiana.com
- Mobile launch date: Unknown
- IGC Status: Approved
- Partnered with: Majestic Star Casino
BetIndiana announced plans to offer online and mobile betting in Indiana with a press release issued in October 2019. Details are limited at this time, but the BetIndiana was approved as a sports wagering vendor in January 2020 and has a partnership agreement in place with Majestic Star Casino (soon to become Hard Rock Casino).
- Website: www.unibet.com
- IGC Status: Approved; live in Indiana as of July 2020
- Partnered with: Horseshoe Hammond
Unibet struck a deal with Caesars Entertainment in February 2020 to partner on sports betting in certain states, including Indiana. Under the agreement, Unibet is partnered with Caesar’s Horseshoe Hammond to offer mobile betting in Indiana.
theScore
- Website: www.thescore.bet
- IGC Status: Approved; launched September 2020
- Partnered with: Ameristar East Chicago
Media-company-turned-sportsbook-operator theScore secured Indiana market access in partnership with Penn National.
We have had a chance to see what theScore.bet looks like in action since its launch in Indiana and it looks like a capable betting site. The list of sports covered is somewhat limited, but all the key US sports are in play here with pre-game and in-play betting on offer.
theScore also provides nice crossover functionality between its popular media app and the sportsbook app, offering the ability to place wagers in the sportsbook and then follow the media app for detailed live updates.
SBK Sportsbook
- IGC Status: Pending
- Partnered with: Full House Resorts (Rising Star Casino)
SBK Sportsbook is a unique betting site operated by Smarkets, which itself is an international exchange betting operator. What makes SBK different than other sportsbooks is the ability to offer much lower-than-average commissions compared to traditional betting sites by taking odds straight from the Smarkets exchange and importing them into SBK to give customers better odds.
SBK also includes a social element allowing customers to share and view tips among one another. This will allow customers to view who’s hot, who is on a winning streak and even compete against one another on leaderboards to see who really is the best at making smart picks.
Smarkets announced a partnership with Full House Resorts in September 2019.
WynnBET
- IGC Status: Unknown
- Partnered with: Full House Resorts (Rising Star Casino)
WynnBET plans to enter the Indiana sports betting market soon. Wynn Resorts International has a partnership with BetBull, which will provide technology and risk management services. An early version of WynnBET launched in New Jersey as a standard online sportsbook, but the company indicates it has bigger plans in store to provide a uniquely social experience.
It’s possible, WynnBET will borrow heavily from BetBull’s social betting platform. In essence, BetBull is what you would get if you combined a regular online sportsbok with Facebook or Twitter. Every user has a custom profile, can follow other users, and share tips with one another.
The WynnBET path into Indiana comes through a series of two separate partnerships. First was a partnership reached between BetBull and Wynn Resorts International reached in October 2018. Under that agreement, Wynn Resorts acquired a 22.5% stake in BetBull. Second was a partnership reached between Wynn Resorts International and Full House Resorts one year later.
FOX Bet
FOX Bet is an up-and-coming betting app that is the product of a partnership between The Stars Group and FOX Sports. The two joined forces in May and to create a sportsbook that will have the key advantages of experience, technical know-how, brand name recognition and widespread reach courtesy of FOX Sports.
In Indiana, FOX Bet has two primary pathways into the market. A deal struck between The Stars Group and Eldorado Resorts could see FOX Bet launch in partnership with Tropicana Evansville. An alternate deal reached between Penn National and The Stars Group could also see FOX Bet launch in partnership with Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg.
888Sport
888Sport is one of the world’s largest mobile sport betting and online gambling operators. The company has a long track record and comes to Indiana with a wealth of experience.
In a press release, 888Sport announced it plans to launch in Indiana in 2021. 888Sport is partnered with Harrah’s Hoosier Park to offer mobile betting.
Retail Sportsbooks in Indiana
All of Indiana’s commercial casinos have applied for (and received) licenses to launch sportsbooks on casino property.
That leaves us with twelve casinos and three OTBs that will play host to sportsbooks in Indiana.
Ameristar parent company Penn National launched a retail sportsbook in September 2019 and has several options for running a mobile sportsbook as well. Ameristar may operate an online sportsbook under its own name and/or mobile betting in partnership with DraftKings, theScore, FOX Bet and PointsBet.
Address:
777 Ameristar Blvd.
East Chicago, IN 46312
Belterra Casino parent company Boyd Gaming has a partnership in place with FanDuel to operate sportsbooks in Indiana and elsewhere. FanDuel Sportsbook at Belterra is now open for business.
Boyd Gaming has not announced its online betting plans, but we can expect to see FanDuel launching a mobile sportsbook in partnership with one of the Boyd properties.
Address:
777 Belterra Dr.
Florence, IN 47020
Blue Chip Casino in Indiana opened a FanDuel-managed sportsbook in early September, 2019. The new FanDuel Sportsbook measures a little over 2,700 square feet and comes fully equipped with five betting windows, 22 TV screens and two sports tickers.
Address:
777 Blue Chip Dr.
Michigan City, IN 46360
The sportsbook at French Lick Resort can be found at the south end of the casino near the bar and Player Service area. Players can visit one of three betting windows from 9 AM to 11 PM daily or use any of the eight self-service kiosks 24 hours a day.
On the resort side, French Lick houses two historic hotels, three golf courses, two spas and a recently-added sports bar as a part of a $17 million addition.
Address:
8670 West State Road 56
French Lick, IN 47432
Harrah’s Hoosier Park is another Caesars property and launched The Book in September 2019. The Book is now open seven days a week and can be found near the Terrace Showroom. A high-def television wall and luxury seating throughout the sportsbook promise a comfortable experience for all visitors.
Address:
4500 Dan Patch Cir.
Anderson, IN 46013
Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg launched a retail sportsbook in September 2019. Guests can find the sportsbook inside Hops House 99.
When it comes to an online sportsbook, Hollywood Casino has options there as well. Penn National has forged relationships with numerous providers including William Hill, DraftKings, PointsBet, theScore and FOX Bet. Look for any or all of those to launch off the Hollywood Indiana license.
Address:
777 Hollywood Blvd.
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Indiana Grand received an upgrade over the summer in anticipation of sports betting and has since launched a retail sportsbook. We can also expect to see Indiana Grand take advantage of online betting, although details on those plans are also limited at present.
Address:
4300 N. Michigan Rd.
Shelbyville, IN 46176
Rising Star Casino is partnered with Churchill Downs Inc., parent company of BetAmerica. This resulted in the opening of a retail sportsbook under the BetAmerica name in November 2019. The partnership with Churchill Downs will also likely result in the launch of BetAmerica Mobile Sportsbook in Indiana at some point.
Address:
777 Rising Star Dr.
Rising Sun, Indiana 47040
The Book at Caesars Southern Indiana features large-screen TVs and sports betting action seven days a week. An online sportsbook managed by Caesars Southern Indiana is also likely in the works, although details are limited at this time. In other states, Caesars operates mobile betting apps under its own name and in partnership with other providers.
Address:
11999 Casino Center Dr.
Elizabeth, IN 47117
The Horseshoe Hammond sportsbook dedicates 5,300 square feet to what it calls “a best-in-class sports wagering experience.” With an HD LED video wall, chairs, lounge areas and ten betting windows, it is hard to argue with that description.
Address:
777 Casino Center Dr.
Hammond, IN 46320
Tropicana Evansville partnered with William Hill to open an in-person sportsbook in September 2019. The sportsbook is open seven days a week, features HD TVs throughout the venue, and a full service bar.
Address:
421 NW Riverside Dr.
Evansville, IN 47708
Majestic Star Casino was the last to join the list of Indiana casinos with sports betting licenses, leading to some speculation it would forgo applying for a sportsbook. The two Majestic Star Casino boats are slated to move inland and rebrand as a singular Hard Rock Casino in Gary.
That plan is still in place, but it seems Majestic Star parent company Spectacle Entertainment will be wasting no time adding sports betting to the menu. In September 2019, the Indiana Gaming Commission issued a sports wagering license to Majestic Star.
Other plans for the new casino include the construction of a $300 million facility complete with 225,000 square feet of gaming space, 2,000 slot machines, a Hard Rock Café, Hard Rock Live music venue and much more.
Legal Gambling Age In Indiana
Current Address:
1 Buffington Harbor Drive
Gary, IN 46406
Caesars Entertainment operates four off-track betting (OTB) locations in Indiana and will install sportsbooks at three of them. The fourth, Winner’s Circle Indiana Grand, is located inside a different Caesars property that will already have a sportsbook.
Details on how sports betting will work at each of the Winner’s Circle OTBs are lacking as of today, but Caesars Entertainment already has the license it needs to host sportsbooks at each.
Winner’s Circle Clarksville Address:
650 Eastern Blvd.
Clarksville, IN 47129
Winner’s Circle OTB Indianapolis Address:
20 N. Pennsylvania St. Suite 2
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Gambling Laws In Indiana
Winner’s Circle New Haven Address:
1304 Minnich Rd.
New Haven, Indiana 46774
Legal Gambling In Indiana
There is also the question of Indiana’s sole tribal casino, Four Winds South Bend.
Four Winds operates as a Class II casino, which precludes the casino from offering sports wagering.
Legal Sports Betting In Indiana
However, Four Winds officials have reportedly asked Gov. Holcomb to negotiate the casino being able to add sports betting and table games. Four Winds may eventually get involved at some point.
Is Gambling Legal In Indiana
Address:
3000 Prairie Ave
South Bend, IN 46614