Indiana offers several forms of legal, well-regulated online betting. State law permits mobile sports betting, betting on online horse racing, and daily fantasy sports. The Hoosier State is also a solid contender to legalize online gambling and poker in the future.
BettingUSA has been monitoring the industry’s development from day one to provide up-to-date listings and reviews of the best Indiana betting sites.
Legal Indiana Betting Sites
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Indiana Sports Betting
Indiana legalized sports betting in May 2019 after Governor Eric Holcomb signed HB 1015 into law.
Mobile sports betting is available to anyone 21 or older, located within the Hoosier State’s borders, allowing them to safely and legally bet on sports online. The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) also regulates retail sportsbooks at casinos and off-track betting facilities (OTBs).
Under the law, casinos and horse racing satellite facilities may apply for licenses to operate retail sportsbooks and mobile betting apps.
State law puts the IGC in charge of reviewing licensing petitions and issuing licenses to operators who qualify. The IGC also regulates retail sportsbooks at casinos and off-track betting facilities (OTBs).
Key things to know about Indiana sports betting:
- Minimum age of 21 to participate
- Customers may register from anywhere but must be located in Indiana to place wagers
- Sportsbooks may accept bets on professional and college sports
- In-play betting is permitted
Mobile Sportsbooks in Indiana
Indiana law permits licensed casinos and OTBs to partner with online gaming providers to operate up to three individually branded mobile betting platforms, also known as “skins.”
Every casino and OTB in Indiana now holds a sportsbook license, and most have launched their online betting platforms. Mobile sports betting customers do not have to go to a casino to register. Users may register, deposit, and place wagers from anywhere in state lines.
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Below is a list of approved Indiana betting apps:
Indiana Sportsbooks
Every casino in Indiana operates a retail sportsbook. Several off-track betting locations that once focused exclusively on horse racing betting have also added sports betting to their menus.
Indiana Sports Betting Law
In early 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court found that PASPA, a big part of the federal government’s prohibition on gambling, was unconstitutional. In response, Indiana and many other states revisited their gambling and sports betting laws.
In October 2018, one of Indiana’s legislative committees recommended that the Indiana AG consider legalizing gambling.
Stakeholders quickly responded with arguments about the merits and detriments of expanding gambling in Indiana.
The Indiana Gaming Commission weighed in, estimating that Indiana’s yearly economic impact from increased sports betting and ancillary spending could amount to upwards of $466 million.
Lawmakers thoroughly debated what types of wagers Indiana should allow, whether they should authorize mobile betting, and more in the process of legalizing sports betting.
One of the bill’s sponsors, State Senator Mark Messmer, described it as one of the hardest bills he had ever worked on.
When Indiana’s Governor signed the sports betting bill into law, he issued an accompanying press-release that read:
“Gaming is a highly regulated industry that once had little competition, but now does from surrounding states and new technology. By modernizing our laws, this legislation will spur positive economic growth for our state and for an industry that employs over 11,000 Hoosiers.”
The governor added, “Additionally, it will bring in new revenue and create hundreds of new jobs – both permanent and in construction.”
Indiana legalized sports betting with the passage of HB 1015 in 2019.
In addition to legalizing sports betting and establishing a licensing process, the law sets a 9.5% tax rate on operators, earmarks funding for problem gambling programs, prohibits wagers on esports, and places the Indiana Gaming Commission in charge of overseeing the industry.
Types of Sports Wagers Allowed
Indiana law (IC § 4-38) allows licensed operators to accept wagers on professional and college sports but not on esports or amateur competitions involving minors. In-play betting is also permitted.
The Indiana Gaming Commission also maintains a complete catalog of sports events upon which sportsbooks may accept bets. The catalog does not necessarily mean sportsbooks accept wagers on all listed events, only that they may do so if they choose.
The current list of events authorized for betting by the IGC includes:
- Aussie Rules Football: AFL
- Auto Racing: Constructors’ Championships, F1, IndyCar, MotoGP, NASCAR
- Baseball: MLB/MLB Draft, NCAA D1, Minor League AAA, Nippon Professional Baseball, KBO
- Basketball: NBA/NBA Draft, NCAA D1, WNBA/WNBA Draft, IFB, EuroLeague, Euro Cup, The Basketball Tournament: TBT, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, and Turkey
- Bowling: Pro Bowling Tour
- Boxing: Association of boxing Commission and Combative Sports, WBO, WBC, WBA, IBF, BBBofC
- Bull Riding: Professional Bull Riding, Inc.
- Competitions: Nathan’s Famous Hotdog Eating Contest
- Cricket: ICC, Men’s and Women’s World Cup, South Africa Momentum One Day Cup
- Cycling: Men’s and Women’s World Tour and Grand Tour
- Darts: BDO, PDC
- Football: NFL/NFL Draft, NCAA D1, AFL, CFL, XFL
- Golf: PGA, PGA Tour Champions, LPGA, Champion’s Tour, European Tour, international events such as Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, World Golf Championships, Korn Ferry Tour
- Hockey: NFL, IHF, KHL, Belarus Extraleague, NCAA D1, World Championships
- Lacrosse: Premier Lacrosse League, NCAA D1
- Mixed Martial Arts: UFC, Bellator, One Championship, Professional Fighters League, Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports
- Olympics: Summer and Winter Games, trials
- Specials: Academy Awards category winners
- Rowing: FISA
- Rugby: European Challenge Cup, Four Nations, NRL, Premiership Rugby Cup, Six Nation, Super Rugby, World Cup, World Rugby
- Sailing: Americas Cup, International Sailing Federation
- Skiing & Snowboarding: US Ski & Snowboard
- Soccer: MLS, NWSL, NCAA D1, US Open Cup, FIFA, and many international leagues/tournaments
- Softball: NCAA D1
- Table Tennis: ITTF and ETTU
- Tennis: ATP, WTA, NCAA D1, USTA, World Team Tennis, Austrian National Series, German National Tennis Series, Spanish Liga MAPFRE
- Track & Field: International Association of Athletics Federations, NCAA D1
No Integrity Fees or Data Mandates
One of the more controversial issues plaguing states in the run-up to legalization is whether or not to impose integrity fees and mandate the use of official data provided by the leagues. Indiana opted against both measures in favor of letting the free market shape the industry.
Effective Regulation
Overall, Indiana sports betting law is favorable to gamblers and operators alike. Indiana avoided the twin pitfalls of integrity fees and data mandates while also authorizing mobile betting, which accounts for the lion’s share of the betting handle in all states that permit online and in-person betting.
Mobile betting also provides convenience to residents and effectively channels players away from unregulated offshore sites onto licensed betting apps that offer consumer safety and generate tax revenue for Indiana.
Indiana Sports Betting FAQ
In-person and online betting are now legal in Indiana thanks to a law passed in May of 2019. The Indiana Gaming Commission has been incredibly responsive to inquiries and maintains a useful website full of information here, but we have put together our own FAQ page here to compile answers to the most common questions all in one location.
Daily Fantasy Sports in Indiana
Indiana legalized daily fantasy sports in 2016 with Senate Bill 339 (full text). Governor Mike Pence signed the bill into law on March 24th, 2016. In doing so, he paved the way for companies like FanDuel and DraftKings to apply for licenses to offer daily fantasy sports in Indiana.
Fantasy sites operated in Indiana before the passage of the bill, but their legal status at the time was questionable. Lawmakers finally addressed the issue with a piece of legislation that would later become known as SB 339. That law requires operators to apply for a license, pay a licensing fee and adhere to a standard of conduct designed to protect the integrity of sports, protect the customers of fantasy sites, and protect the vulnerable from risking too much money.
Operators must pay a fee of $50,000 to $75,000, hold player funds in segregated accounts, prevent employees from sharing confidential information, and prevent employees from participating in paid contests with a prize greater than $5.
Additionally, Indiana law prevents athletes and anyone else involved in real-world events from competing in contests in which the winning outcome derives from events that those people could affect.
Indiana Horse Racing Betting
Horse racing betting is legal in Indiana and regulated by the state Horse Racing Commission (HRC). Residents may bet on horses in-person at authorized racing events or online through licensed ADWs.
Indiana’s two major racetracks, Indiana Grand and Harrah’s Hoosier Park, host live racing seasons most months of the year for thoroughbreds, standardbreds, and quarter horses. Additionally, an array of state and county fairs host races throughout the year.
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Online Gambling in Indiana
Indiana does not regulate online casinos and poker sites. The Hoosier State is one of just a few states that explicitly outlaws participating in online gambling.
IC § 35-45-2 states that “a person who knowingly or intentionally engages in gambling commits unlawful gambling” commits an offense classified as a Class B misdemeanor. Additionally, an operator who offers online gambling in Indiana commits a Level 6 felony.
Since legalizing sports betting, some Indiana lawmakers have come around to considering legislation to authorize online casinos and poker sites. A bill introduced by State Sen. Jon Ford in early 2021 would allow online gambling and poker. The bill would require online gaming operators to partner with land-based casinos for licensing purposes.
Efforts to legalize Indiana online gambling are not guaranteed to produce results, though. In December 2020, local news station WIBC reported some legislators are not yet sold on further expanding the state’s legal gambling options.
If Indiana is to authorize online gambling, it may come about as state coffers reap the full benefit of mobile sports betting. The first online sportsbooks launched in October 2019, and it did not take long for the industry to generate betting handle measured in the billions.
Legalizing online sports betting may make it easier to implement any new laws authorizing online gambling. Now that regulators are acquainted with vetting mobile betting companies for licenses, overseeing internet security standards, and ensuring effective geofencing, the prospect of legalizing online gambling is less daunting from a technical standpoint.
Indiana Online Lottery
Indiana voters approved a referendum in 1988 to establish a state lottery, and lawmakers followed up with the Lottery Act the following year to create the Hoosier Lottery. The first tickets went on sale in 1989, and the lottery has been running strong ever since.
The Hoosier Lottery has returned billions to winners and billions more to state programs such as the Build Indiana Fund, Police & Firefighters’ Pensions, and the Teachers’ Retirement Fund.
Online ticket sales are not yet authorized, but lottery officials have launched a study to consider the implications. IGT, which has extensive experience selling lottery tickets online in other states, manages the Hoosier Lottery. Should officials decide to sell tickets to Powerball, Mega Millions, and instant win games online, IGT will be well-prepared to move quickly.
According to media reports, the Hoosier Lottery doesn’t require additional legislation to authorize online ticket sales. If lottery officials decide to proceed, they would be able to do so on their timeline and without authorization from the legislature.
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