The Hoosier State ushered in legal sports betting in September 2019, making it the 13th U.S. state and the second Midwestern state to go live in the industry at the time. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Indiana’s sports wagering bill into law on May 8, 2019.
The first retail sportsbooks went live on September 1, with Gov. Holcomb placing the first bets – one on the Colts and Pacers to win their respective championships, and another on the Indiana Fever (WNBA) to win their contest that night (they lost). In total, three licensed sportsbooks debuted ahead of the 2019 NFL season.
One month later, online/mobile books began to launch, with BetRivers and DraftKings opening up shop first, followed by heavy-hitter FanDuel.
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Indiana online & mobile sportsbooks
Indiana law allows for each sportsbook licensee to host up to three “skins,” or unique/separate online brands under its umbrella. In theory, we could see upwards of 40 online sportsbooks in the state. That hasn’t quite happened; rather, similar to New Jersey, over a dozen high-quality sportsbooks have entered the state, with many others expected to join in the near future.
Here is a full list of the state’s active online sportsbooks, plus a few brands that have already confirmed an eventual Indiana expansion:
Provider | Bonus | Licensing Partner | Tech Provider | Launched |
---|---|---|---|---|
BetRivers | Get Bonus | French Lick Resort | Kambi | 10/3/2019 |
DraftKings Sportsbook | Get Bonus | Ameristar Casino East Chicago | SBTech | 10/3/2019 |
FanDuel Sportsbook | Get Bonus | Blue Chip Casino/Belterra Casino | IGT/PPB | 10/22/2019 |
BetMGM | HANDLE1500 | Belterra Casino | GVC | 02/27/2020 |
PointsBet | SH2K | Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg | PointsBet | 03/05/2020 |
Caesars Sportsbook | HANDLE1000 | Horseshoe Casino Hammond | Liberty | 05/19/2020 |
Unibet Sportsbook | Get Bonus | Horseshoe Casino Hammond | Kambi | 07/30/2020 |
Barstool Sportsbook | Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg | SportsGenius | 05/18/2021 | |
Betway Sportsbook | TBA | Belterra Casino | Betway | 05/28/2021 |
Bally Bet | Bally's Evansville (Formerly Tropicana Evansville) | Gamesys | 12/16/2021 | |
SBK Sportsbook | Rising Star Casino Resort | Smarkets | 03/10/2022 | |
Hard Rock Bet | Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana | Scientific Games | 09/06/2022 | |
FOX Bet | TBD | The Stars Group | TBD | |
Tipico Sportsbook | Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino | Tipico | TBD | |
Prophet Exchange | Caesars | In-House | TBD | |
WynnBet | Rising Star Casino Resort | Scientific Games | CEASED OPERATIONS |
Indiana land-based sportsbooks
Currently, 15 physical properties — a mix of casinos, racetracks, riverboats, and off-track-betting (OTB) facilities — have received sportsbook permits.
The sportsbooks vary in size, space, and comprehensiveness of their betting menus and technology.
Casino | Retail launch | Location |
---|---|---|
Ameristar Casino East Chicago | 9/1/2019 | East Chicago |
Belterra Casino Resort | 9/9/2019 | Florence |
Blue Chip Casino | 9/5/2019 | Michigan City |
Caesars Southern Indiana | 9/12/2019 | Elizabeth |
French Lick Resort Casino | 9/6/2019 | French Lick |
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana | 5/14/2021 | Gary |
Harrah's Hoosier Park | 9/19/2019 | Anderson |
Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg | 9/1/2019 | Lawrenceburg |
Horseshoe Casino Hammond | 9/4/2019 | Hammond |
Indiana Grand Casino | 9/1/2019 | Shelbyville |
Rising Star Casino Resort | 11/11/2019 | Rising Sun |
Bally's Evansville (Formerly Tropicana Evansville) | 9/12/2019 | Evansville |
Winner's Circle OTB Clarksville | 9/12/2019 | Clarksville |
Winner's Circle Pub, Grille and OTB, Indianapolis | 9/3/2019 | Indianapolis |
Winner's Circle Brew, Pub and OTB, New Haven | 9/19/2019 | New Haven |
Professional Indiana Sports Teams
The odds are from FanDuel and they are subject to change. – Updated September 29, 2023
Club | League | Odds |
---|---|---|
Indiana Fever | WNBA | Win WNBA - TBA |
Indiana Pacers | NBA | Win NBA Championship +25000 |
Indianapolis Colts | NFL | Win Super Bowl +11000 |
The Latest Indiana News
Indiana Sports Wagering Revenue Dips Below $20 Million For June, Lowest In A Year
Indiana sports wagering revenue dropped to its lowest point in 12 months as bettors made parlays their bets of choice.
Response To Colts Betting Allegations Draws Scrutiny On Potential Enforcement Gaps
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Indiana Mobile Sportsbooks Report Heavy Hold For May
Despite a $25 million drop in handle compared to May 2022, Indiana sportsbooks' revenue last month went up about 10% year over year.
A closer look at Indiana online sportsbooks
Indiana online sportsbooks are live! Both BetRivers and DraftKings were the first to open, accepting initial bets on October 3rd, 2019. FanDuel followed suit just a few weeks later. With each sports betting license carrying the option to host up to three skins, it’s possible there could be as many as 45 Indiana online sportsbooks up and running by the time the market reaches its full potential. For now, bettors in Indiana can wager using any of the following sportsbook sites:
BetRivers
- Launch: October 3rd, 2019
- Casino Partner: French Lick Resort
- Tech Partner: Kambi
BetRivers was joint-first to the online sports betting market in Indiana. BetRivers, Rush Street Interactive, and Kambi have joined forces with the French Lick Resort to offer a first class sports wagering experience. Accepting a number of popular deposit methods like credit cards, bank transfers, and PayPal, it is easy to fund an online account and make bets.
BetRivers lets you wager on all of your favorites like the NFL, NBA, MLB, Premier League, Golf, The Oscars, etc. As far as promotions are concerned, Indiana bettors enjoy a nice rewards program, deposit match bonuses, odds boosts, and more.
DraftKings Sportsbook
- Launch: October 3rd, 2019
- Casino Partner: Ameristar Casino East Chicago
- Tech Partner: Kambi
DraftKings opened its Indiana online sportsbook on October 3rd, 2019, becoming one of the first operators to go live in the state. Using the license of the Ameristar Casino Hotel, DK brings an ease of use to online sports betting that customers love. Plus, a near seamless integration, including a shared wallet, with its leading Daily Fantasy Sports platform is a major plus.
DraftKings offers traditional odds and live wagering on all major sporting events. In addition, their new Flash Bets feature boasts unmatched wagering speed and specificity. For example, you can bet on every individual point of a tennis match with one click of a button. DK also offers Pools where participants are asked to pick a number of different prop-like bets. Whoever makes the best picks, takes the prize, and with hefty prize pools available it could be a big one.
FanDuel Sportsbook
- Launch: October 22nd, 2019
- Casino Partner: Belterra Casino Resort / Blue Chip Casino
- Tech Partner: IGT/PPB
FanDuel partnered with Boyd Gaming to bring its popular sportsbooks to Indiana. On top of its leading online offering, FanDuel has opened brick-and-mortar establishments in both Boyd properties in the state: Belterra Casino Resort and Blue Chip Casino.
Online bettors can easily place bets using the FanDuel mobile app, available on iOS and Android devices, or by accessing the sportsbook through a web browser. Having already carved out a substantial market share in other states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, its no surprise that FanDuel is a force to be reckoned with in Indiana too.
BetMGM Sportsbook
- Launch: February 27, 2020
- Casino Partner: Belterra Casino
- Tech Partner: GVC
Boyd Gaming, who operates the Belterra Casino in Florence, Indiana, has partnered with MGM to bring BetMGM online sportsbook to Indiana. BetMGM is live in a number of states and is making waves as a formidable operator and potential market leader. It is a good bet that BetMGM will be in the top 5 in most states, Indiana included.
BetMGM has an aesthetically pleasing, easy to use interface on both desktop and mobile devices that is stacked with betting options, a slew of banking options and a promotional schedule that just keeps on giving. BetMGM really shines with their huge selection of prop bets, sometimes offering hundreds of betting options on select NFL and NBA games.
PointsBet
- Launch: March 5, 2020
- Casino Partner: Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg
- Tech Partner: Banach Technology
This Australian bookmaker is taking the online sports betting world for a wild ride with their innovative PointsBetting style of betting. PointsBetting is basically a spread bet on steroids. You can read all about it here, but it basically breaks down to you win (or lose) more money on how close to being right (or wrong) about a particular spread or totals wager.
In addition to their PointsBetting wagering, PointsBet does also offer all your standard moneyline, totals, spreads, props etc. that you will find in any other sportsbook. PointsBet is also known for their incredibly stacked promotional schedule, that includes odds boosts, improved spread lines, plenty of goal and point insurance and their crowd booster, that moves the line on popular bets as more people join in on the action.
Caesars Sportsbook
- Launch: May 19, 2020
- Casino Partner: Horseshoe Casino Hammond
- Tech Partner: Scientific Games
Caesars, one of the premier names in the retail casino industry, launched their online sportsbook on May 19, 2020, via their Horseshoe Casino in Hammond. Caesars Sports online sportsbook has been live in New Jersey since September 2018, and went live in Iowa, West Virginia, and Colorado prior to Indiana, all under the William Hill branding.
Following Caesars’ 2021 purchase of the British-bookmaking titan, they decided to do away with the William Hill name altogether and fully rebrand their app to a new and improved Caesars Sportsbook offering. By August 2021, the upgraded platform was released to the public, and did not disappoint. Packed to the gills with creative daily promotions, thrilling bet boosts, and endless player props, Caesars Sportsbook now belongs in every mobile bettor’s rotation.
Unibet Sportsbook
- Launch: July 30, 2020
- Casino Partner: Horseshoe Casino Hammond
- Tech Partner: Kambi
Unibet was one of the first sportsbook brands to surface in Indiana after the initial wave of bigger names such as DraftKings, BetRivers, and FanDuel. The app officially went live on July 30, 2020 through its partnership with the Horseshoe Casino Hammond, and has since been a strong addition to the state’s ever-growing online betting market.
The Kindred Group-owned bookmaker offers a quality product that is on par with each of the aforementioned brands, as they provide competitive pricing, a packed promotional schedule, and just about any sports market or event a bettor could ask for.
WynnBET – Now Closed
- Launch: April 1, 2021
- Ceased Operations: August 11, 2023
- Casino Partner: Rising Star Casino Resort
- Tech Partner: Scientific Games
WynnBET managed to launch in Indiana through its partnership with the Rising Star Casino Resort on April 1, 2021, and generally offered a quality product during its 2+ years in the state.
WynnBET’s mobile app was one of the best in the business, offering its users endless opportunities to earn bonus bets and other rewards while placing their action. However, it never attained the market share that Wynn Resorts was searching for. The company announced in August 2023 that they would be ceasing operations in Indiana.
Barstool Sportsbook
- Launch: May 18, 2021
- Casino Partner: Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg
- Tech Partner: SportsGenius
The Penn National Gaming-owned Barstool Sportsbook first made its debut in the Hoosier state when its parent company unveiled two rebranded retail sportsbooks at their Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg and Ameristar Casino East Chicago locations to kick off 2021.
A few months later on May 18, 2021, the Barstool Sportsbook app launched in the state as an online skin for PNG’s Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg. Barstool’s app is extremely unique in the sense that they often reward players with merchandise such as a hat or hoodie, instead of offering an occasional bonus bet or deposit match like most books. The app is littered with fun promotions and daily challenges created by their team of personalities, giving users plenty of incentive to keep coming back.
Betway Sportsbook
- Launch: May 28, 2021
- Casino Partner: Belterra Casino
- Tech Partner: SBTech
As one of the leading sportsbook service providers in Europe since 2006, Betway is quickly rising to the top of the game in the United States as well. Following the company’s initial expansion into Colorado in April 2021, Betway extended its arms into the Hoosier state about one month later on May 28, 2021, marking just the second state to acquire its services. Betway was able to go live in Indiana through its partnership with the Belterra Casino, occupying one of three online skins.
Betway’s mobile app and website are incredibly well put together, featuring a clean layout that is both easy to follow and fast to the touch. Similar to other top dogs such as DraftKings, Betway uses SBTech’s industry-leading technology to power their online operations. Upon opening either of Betway’s platforms, players will find a wide variety of sports markets, live betting options, and even an integrated online casino in applicable states! Available promotions are displayed front and center on the homepage, and any bets selected will automatically pop up on your built-in betslip. Betway’s app and website really have it all, and it is recommended that every bettor, both new and old, gives them a chance.
Bally Bet
Note: In preparation for its merger with Kambi and White Hat, sportsbook operations for Bally Bet have temporarily been shut down in IN.
- Launch: December 16, 2021
- Casino Partner: Bally’s Evansville
- Tech Partner: Gamesys
Bally Bet officially became the 13th mobile betting app to reach Indiana’s market when it first went live in the state on December 16, 2021. The launch followed Bally’s Corporation’s $140M purchase of the Tropicana Evansville from Caesars Entertainment, which would temporarily close before reopening as Bally’s Evansville shortly after the sale in October 2021.
Bally Bet’s mobile app and website are mirror images of one another, offering the same great experience whether you are at home on the couch or out on the town. Bally Bet has everything from live betting options, to creative promotions, to player props and futures. Pricing is fairly competitive, and the book appears to mostly stick with lines at or around -110. It may be one of the newer sportsbooks in the game, but Bally Bet is here to stay.
SBK Sportsbook
- Launch: March 10, 2022
- Casino Partner: Rising Star Casino Resort
- Tech Partner: Smarkets
The most recent sports betting brand to touch down in Indiana is none other than SBK Sportsbook, a brand new mobile betting service created by the UK-based prediction market platform Smarkets. Founded in 2008, Smarkets’ mission has long been “fixing betting with a core focus on price and product.” With that being said, players can expect a world-class betting experience when using SBK Sportsbook’s services for the first time.
The app’s claim to fame involves two unique features that Smarkets believes separates their product from the competition. The first is the aforementioned focus on giving its users the best possible price. SBK’s app comes equipped with SBK Price+, a special feature that compares the app’s current odds to other sportsbooks in the market, ensuring that SBK’s odds are on par with the industry standard. The second feature is the app’s social network where friends can share slips, talk trash, and interact with one another’s posts. Players who are feeling confident can share their own tips, or just read along hoping to find an extra angle. All in all, it’s innovative ideas like these that give new sportsbooks an extra leg up, and SBK did exactly that when implementing these features into their app.
Hard Rock Bet
- Launch: September 6, 2022
- Casino Partner: Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
- Tech Partner: Scientific Games
Hard Rock Bet is a titan of sorts in the casino industry, and is trying to break through in the sports betting department.
Hard Rock legalized in Tennessee and Indiana in September of 2022 and is now a legal operator in six states. Their launch came just days before the start of the 2022-23 NFL season. Hard Rock has held a previous presence in the Hoosier state, as Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana opened a retail Hard Rock Sportsbook back in May of 2022.
MaximBet
- Launch: September 30, 2022
- Casino Partner: Harrah’s Hoosier Park
- Tech Partner: Kambi
On September 30, 2022, MaximBet Sportsbook became the 14th legal mobile sportsbook in the state of Indiana.
MaximBet (formerly SportsBetting.com) is owned and operated by the Carousel Group, a rising iGaming company that has a strong global presence. Indiana became its second legal state.
However, as of November 16, 2022, MaximBet Sportsbook announced they will cease sportsbook operations. Users on MaximBet Sportsbook will have until December 15 to withdraw their funds for good on the site.
Indiana Revenue
After the collapse of PASPA, the floodgates were open and states like Indiana ran with the opportunity to legalize sports betting.
Indiana has reaped the rewards as they became the fifth state to pass the $8 billion threshold in sports wagering handle for 2022.
In the last three months alone, Indiana has accumulated a total sports betting handle over $700 million while collecting over $6 million in state taxes. The move to mobile has been extremely beneficial for the Indiana state government as over 92% of the handle has come via mobile wagers. Not too shabby for the Hoosier state.
More Indiana sports betting tidbits
- Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) at Horseshoe Casino Hammond: This full-service casino on Lake Michigan with live music, comedy, and boxing is just a stone’s throw from Illinois. A Caesars Sportsbook is an added-value draw. Horseshoe Casino Hammond also partnered with Unibet to facilitate the European heavyweight’s entry to the Indiana market.
- The deal Penn National Gaming made in late July 2019 with multiple sports betting operators opened up a smorgasbord of options for the books to own, operate and brand sports betting in the state. Partnerships were made with DraftKings, the fantasy sports behemoth that is among the top sportsbooks nationwide; PointsBet, an Australian book offering high risk with high rewards; theScore Bet, a PNG-owned, Canada-based sportsbook spawned by a score-tracking sports news app; and The Stars Group, which despite breaking ground with its FOX Bet online app, has yet to launch in the state more than two years after the deal was originally made.
- PNG later added its very own Barstool Sportsbook into the mix, allowing the brand to go live in Indiana through a partnership with the Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg on May 18, 2021. Along with the mobile app’s arrival in the Hooiser State, existing retail sportsbooks at both Lawrenceburg and the Ameristar Casino East Chicago were remodeled to reflect the Barstool brand.
- SBK Sportsbook is also now live in Indiana, partnering with the Rising Star Casino Resort, which also partnered with WynnBET to bring its high-class platform to the state. Existing casinos are certainly using their leverage to strike deals with sportsbooks that want to come to Indiana, and we’re here for it.
- In October 2019, Purdue University became the first public university in the nation to prohibit any form of sports betting on its athletic teams by anyone affiliated with the university. This includes faculty, students, staff, and even independent contractors. Their hope is that the measure will “reduce the potential for deceit and ill-gotten gain”, and thus protect their student athletes.
Indiana sports betting rules and regulations
The IGC drafted rules and regulations regarding sports betting that were subject to public comment through August 1, 2019. They were approved at a panel meeting on August 28.
Among the regulations:
- Operators and vendors will pay a non-refundable $100,000 application fee plus annual renewals
- Sports betting applicants must have a $500,000 cash reserve and partner with an integrity monitor provider
- The IGC opted out of mandatory use of official league data but left open the option of operators and leagues to make their own arrangements
- If a sports league or NCAA believes a sporting event is fixed or manipulated, or otherwise has “good cause” as to why wagers shouldn’t be placed on the event, they can ask the IGC to prohibit or ban bets on the event
- The sports league and NCAA also can seek to create a temporary sports betting “dead zone” using geofence technology
- Casinos must submit their sports wagering system to an independent testing lab for certification
Indiana sports betting: Frequently asked questions
Is sports betting now live in the state?
Yes, the first retail books launched before the advent of the 2019 NFL season, with online books taking bets starting Oct. 3, 2019. Mobile betting is also available statewide.
Is sports betting legal in Indiana?
Absolutely. HB 1015, the historical bill permitting sports betting in the state, was signed in to law by Gov. Eric Holcomb on May 8, 2019.
Who regulates Indiana sportsbooks?
The Indiana Gaming Commission, or IGC, is responsible for regulating both brick-and-mortar and online sportsbooks in the state.
What are the eligibility requirements to place sports wagers in Indiana?
Bettors need to be at least 21 years of age and possess valid identification. Note that players don’t need to hold residence or be in the state of Indiana to set up a real-money account, they just need to have two feet planted in the state to place a wager.
How can I deposit money online?
Indiana online sportsbooks offer a number of viable depositing and withdrawal methods, including:
- ACH (eCheck)
- Online Banking Transfer
- Visa / MasterCard credit & debit cards
- PayNearMe: Pay with cash at any eligible 7-Eleven, CVS, or Family Dollar
- Cash at the affiliated retail casino cage
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Skrill
- Casino branded prepaid cards (Play+)
- Wire Transfer
What types of bets are available?
Indiana offers all the standard bet types, like straights, totals, moneylines, futures, parlays, props, teasers, and round robins, among others.
We also see lots of in-play options, as well as the ability to cash out early on select wagers. The latter is a niche where players can lock up a win (or take a smaller loss) on pre-game wagers before the final outcome is decided.
What betting markets are available?
Nineteen sports are approved for sports wagering including old standbys like NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Soccer and tennis fans will also be able to get their fix. Wagering on collegiate sports is permitted.
There are a few restrictions worth noting, however. For one, betting on eSports is off-limits. Secondly, wagers on amateur athletes under the age of 18 is a no-go. In-play prop betting on NCAA sports is not allowed either, but you can bet on NCAA football games.
It is the discretion of the IGC to limit in-play (prop) betting and data restrictions
What are the tax rates and licensing fees on sports betting?
The tax rate on adjusted gross sports betting revenue is just 9.5% across the board. This is a very reasonable rate that should promote healthy competition among operators, ideally resulting is favorable betting lines and solid promotions.
The fees for a vendor (operator) license is also reasonable: $100,000. There is a $50,000 annual renewal fee.
How Indiana arrived at legal sports betting
In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for the expansion of legal gambling beyond Nevada when it overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, a law prohibiting sports betting.
On April 25, 2019, Indiana lawmakers reached agreement in the final hours of the legislative session approving sports betting and the construction of two new casinos. On May 8, Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, signed the bill into law.
Before getting his signature, Rep. Ben Smaltz stripped the bill of mobile betting but it was restored right before passage. The bill also passed without a recommendation of integrity fees.
Sports betting in Indiana is projected to bring in $12 million to $20 million annually. Those projections are based on smaller-than-anticipated sports betting revenues collected in many of the states with legalized sports wagering. The tax revenue collected will go to Indiana’s general fund for education, prisons, health care, state parks and more.
Latest Page Update
November 17: Update reflects MaximBet Sportsbook ceased operations and users will have until December 15 to withdraw funds.