Indiana Betting

Online sports betting is regulated by the IGC; bettors must be 21+ and in-state. Legal online horse-race ADW operates under the Horse Racing Commission (online ADW 21+). On prediction markets the IGC licenses sportsbook operators but not CFTC event-contract platforms, so those platforms operate without state licensing — grey market.

Indiana joined the ever-growing list of states with legal sports betting in May 2019 with the passage of a law authorizing retail and mobile sportsbooks.

Under state law, local casinos and off-track betting parlors (OTBs) may accept wagers in-person and online in partnership with Indiana betting sites and third-party providers such as FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, and BetRivers.

Indiana Online Sportsbooks

21+ and present in Indiana. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT.

The Indiana betting industry is quickly growing as numerous retail sportsbooks and betting sites across the state go live.

The first retail sportsbooks opened for business on September 1st, 2019 with Indiana Grand, Ameristar East Chicago and Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg first across the finish line.

Most of the state’s other casinos have since opened their own sportsbooks.

Mobile sports betting got underway about a month later with the launch of DraftKings and BetRivers on October 3rd, 2019. They were followed by FanDuel later that month, BetAmerica in December 2019 and BetMGM in February 2020.

In addition to sports betting, other forms of legal online gambling in Indiana include horse racing betting, and daily fantasy sports.

In-person gambling in Indiana is powered by the state-authorized commercial casinos on the Indiana Gaming Commission’s published list, plus one Native American casino.

Sports Betting in Indiana

In May 2019, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed into law HB 1015 making Indiana the tenth U.S. state to legalize sports betting.

Here are some of the key points of the new Indiana sports betting law:

• Statewide mobile wagering permitted

• No wagering on esports or on competitions involving amateur athletes under the age of 18

• State tax rate of 9.5 percent of adjusted gross revenue, with a portion allocated to problem gambling

• Geolocation technology limits online betting to residents and visitors within the borders of the Hoosier state

• An initial $100,000 fee for a vendor license, followed by $50,000 annual renewal payments

• Each casino may partner with third-party service providers to launch up to three individual betting sites

• Limits on in-play betting and restrictions on data sources are left to the discretion of the Indiana Gaming Commission

Which Sports Can Be Bet on in Indiana?

Indiana sports betting law allows for betting on baseball, basketball, college basketball, boxing, football, college football, hockey, tennis, golf, mixed martial arts, soccer, cycling, rugby and dozens of individuals leagues among those sports.

The law does not allow betting on high school athletics or on any sporting event not approved by the IGC.

Additionally, the IGC publishes an Approved Leagues and Events catalog naming every league and event on which sports betting operators may accept wagers. Readers should note this list is subject to change and does not obligate sportsbooks to offer all of these sports. This list simply details which sports upon which they may accept wagers.

Sports Leagues Approved by the IGC:

Auto Racing

• NASCAR

• Formula 1

• IndyCar

Baseball

• MLB / MLB Draft

• Division 1 NCAA

• AAA Minor League

Basketball

• NBA / NBA Draft

• WNBA / WNBA Draft

• Division 1 NCAA

• EuroLeague / EuroCup

• International Basketball Federation

Bowling

Pro Bowling Tour (PBT)

Boxing

• International Boxing Federation (IDF)

• World Boxing Association (WBA)

• World Boxing Council

• World Boxing Organization

• Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports

Cricket

• Men’s World Cup

• Women’s World Cup

• International Cricket Council

Darts

PDC Championship

Football

• NFL / NFL Draft

• Division 1 NCAA

• Canadian Football League

• Arena Football League

Golf

• PGA

• Champions Tour

• LPGA

• European Tour

• International Events such as the Ryder Cup

• World Golf Championships

• Korn Ferry Tour

Hockey

• NHL / NHL Draft

• Division 1 NCAA

• International Ice Hockey Federation

• World Championships

Lacrosse

Division 1 NCAA

Mixed Martial Arts

• Ultimate Fighting Championship

• Bellator MMA

• ONE Championship

• Professional Fighters League

• Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports

Olympics

• Winter Olympics

• Summer Olympics

• Olympic trials

Rugby

• Six Nations

• World Cup

• World Rugby (international matches and qualifiers)

• Four Nations

Sailing

• America’s Cup

• International Sailing Federation

Soccer

• FIFA

• Major League Soccer

• English Premier League

• Spanish La Liga

• German Bundesliga

• Italian Serie A

• French Ligue 1

• Mexican Liga Bancomer

• Division 1 NCAA

Softball

Division 1 NCAA

Tennis

• United States Tennis Association

• Association of Tennis Professionals

• Women’s Tennis Association

• International Tennis Federation Grand Slams

• Division 1 NCAA

Track and Field

• International Association of Athletics Associations

• Division 1 NCAA

Entertainment

Academy Awards

Indiana Online Sports Betting

Indiana sports betting law authorizes online sportsbooks and mobile betting apps. Retail sports betting began in September 2019.

Indiana online sports betting sites launched in October 2019.

Mobile sportsbooks use geolocation technology to ensure all Indiana online betting occurs within state lines. The Indiana Gaming Commission’s sports wagering vendor register lists the sportsbooks licensed for mobile wagering.

Online Sportsbooks Licensed in Indiana:

• Bally Bet Sportsbook

• Bet365

• BetMGM Sportsbook

• BetRivers Sportsbook

• Caesars Sportsbook

• DraftKings Sportsbook

• Fanatics Sportsbook

• FanDuel Sportsbook

• Hard Rock Bet

• SBK

• theScore Bet

In-Person Betting at Indiana Retail Sportsbooks

Indiana sports betting regulations limit all sports wagering to customers 21 and older.

Prefer to experience gambling in real life? Indiana allows licensed casinos, racinos, and off-track betting parlors to take sports wagers. A handful of satellite locations hold sports betting certificates of authority, including Caesars Race and Sportsbook off-track betting sites in Clarksville, Indianapolis and New Haven.

Given the expansion and growth that is projected, it is no surprise that most casinos in Indiana have already launched in-house sportsbooks.

Horse Racing Betting in Indiana

Horse racing is legal at the federal level thanks to the Interstate Horse Racing Act (IHRA) and an exemption from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Under the current legal framework, the legality of horse racing is mostly left in the hands of the states.

Indiana allows licensed horse racing and satellite facilities for pari-mutuel wagering. This was legalized in 1989, and the state's racetracks include Harrah's Hoosier Park and Horseshoe Indianapolis (formerly Indiana Downs). Off-track betting parlors were introduced in 1995. All OTBs must be owned by the permit holders of the horse tracks.

The Indiana Horse Racing Commission (HRC) oversees the regulation of horse race betting, including wagering at off-track betting, or OTB, facilities. The Commission ensures all horse race betting is conducted with the highest of standards and the greatest level of integrity.

Mobile and Online Horse Racing Bets

Online horse racing betting is legal in Indiana under IC §4-31-7.5. In legal terms, this is known as advance deposit wagering and the law was passed as an effort to boost betting handle and revenue for the local racing industry.

Indiana Daily Fantasy Sports Sites

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) were legalized in Indiana in 2016. Mike Pence signed SB 339 into law making way for sites like Fantasy Draft, DraftKings, and FanDual. When the law went into effect, the Fantasy Sports Trade Association commented, “Today’s news out of Indiana marks another important step in the ongoing process of creating legal clarity for fantasy sports.”

Truth be told, these sites were already operating in the Hoosier state before the passage of SB 339 due to the heavy advertising of daily fantasy sports sites during the 2015 NFL season. The 2016 bill took this into account and allowed game operators who were already operating in Indiana to continue operating through their new license application process.

Oversight of DFS betting was placed with, unsurprisingly, the Indiana Gaming Commission. That Commission went on to create the Sports Wagering and Paid Fantasy Sports Division, which is responsible for administering and regulating Indiana’s sports wagering and paid fantasy sports.

The minimum age to play Daily Fantasy Sports in Indiana is 18 and operators are responsible for ensuring players are at least 18. Interestingly, SB 339 also officially designated fantasy sports as a game of skill. The bill has since been codified at IC §4-33-24.

Daily Fantasy Licensing Requirements

SB 339 creates several requirements of DFS operators. These operators must apply for a license, pay a considerable licensing fee to the tune of $50,000 to $75,000 and stick to a standard of conduct created to protect the integrity of sports and to protect customers of fantasy sites.

These “baked-in integrity” provisions are perhaps why statutory integrity fees failed in Indiana’s new legislation. The conduct DFS operators must adhere to includes: holding player funds in seperate accounts, stop DFS operator employees from sharing confidential information, prevent employees from participating in paid contests with $5 or greater prizes and to prevent anyone involved in actual sports