Another US state has moved on legalizing online gambling. Lawmakers in Indiana are expected to pass the bill on online casino gambling proposed as far back as two years ago.
State Sen. Jon Ford said that the legislation is a “natural progression” for gaming in the state. His bill comes two years after the General Assembly passed an expanded gaming bill that legalized sports betting.
“The language in this bill is very, very similar to sports wagering, and many of the back office mechanisms in place for consumer protection, we already have in place for sports wagering,” Ford said, “So, really, a lot of the infrastructure’s already there.”
There have been a number of US jurisdictions that have passed online casino gambling. Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and recently Michigan are among them. It has been estimated that tax revenue from online gambling could reach between $42.9 million and $85.8 million by the fiscal year 2026. Retail casinos will feel the impact of the introduction of online casino activity at between $32.8 million and $64.5 million. Accounting for fees and supplemental taxes, the projected net gain would be between $10.7 million and $21.7 million.
Ford said, “I thought going in with sports wagering that there was a consumer we were not attracting to the gaming industry here in Indiana,” continuing he said, “And I think it’s been proven with sports wagering that there was a niche that we weren’t tapping into. I think that iGaming would appeal to that group.” Proof is in the stats with $313.1 million wagered in December and the IGC reports online apps accounted for 84.1 percent of the total. In the wake of mobile sports betting opening in Illinois in recent months, Ford has confidence online gambling will pass in the legislature.
