Residents of and visitors to the Hoosier State currently have three legal online sports betting options. There could be twice that many by Super Bowl Sunday 2020 if Full House mobile sportsbook brands launch as desired.
The Full House Resorts brand, which operates the Rising Star Casino, has market access deals with multiple sportsbook operators. All three of those could go live in Indiana before Feb. 2, 2020.
Which brands are the Full House mobile sportsbooks?
Two of the brands are domestic. Those are BetAmerica, which is a Churchill Downs product, and BetBull. Wynn Resorts is the operator of the latter product.
The third operator is an import. SBK Sportsbook, run by European Smarkets, has had its sights set on a US entry via Indiana for months already.
Full House hasn’t announced a launch date for any of the three yet. Its CEO, Dan Lee, confirmed all three brands have Super Bowl Sunday 2020 as a target date, however.
Lee says all three are ready to begin accepting wagers from Indiana residents and visitors. The only thing currently preventing them from doing so is regulatory approval from the state.
If the Indiana Gaming Commission does grant all or any of the three approval before Feb. 2, 2020, it’s possible that the brands may still select that date for launch. Next to the beginning of the NFL season, the Super Bowl should provide the best opportunity to promote a new sports betting product.
There may be some value to getting out ahead of that event, however. If all three products launch on the same day, they run the risk of cannibalizing one another. They also may have some unwanted competition on that date.
PointsBet also eyeing a Super Bowl Sunday launch
Another growing brand in the legal sports betting industry could also use Super Bowl LIV as a launchpad. In fact, it has announced its intentions to do exactly that.
PointsBet is also awaiting regulatory approval in Indiana. If secured, Feb. 2, 2020, might be the date that Indianans can first legally place their wagers with that mobile book.
Unlike BetAmerica, BetBull or SBK Sportsbook, PointsBet has a market access deal with Penn National Gaming. Penn National operates the Ameristar East Chicago and the Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg.
It’s unclear which of Penn’s properties PointsBet would occupy a skin for if PointsBet elects to go that route. The deal between Penn and PointsBet isn’t exclusive on either side, so PointsBet could technically partner with any Indiana casino it desires.
It’s probable that PointsBet will take advantage of the market access deal it already has in place, however. As DraftKings operates its mobile sportsbook in Indiana under the Ameristar license, Hollywood seems a prime destination for the mobile brand.
Indiana’s growing online sports betting offerings
If that’s the case, and the IGC cooperates with the plan, expect Hollywood Casino to have a promotional event on Super Bowl Sunday for PointsBet. The same will go for Full House’s properties if any of its three brands are approved in time.
Super Bowl Sunday 2020 could be a big day for the legal sports betting in Indiana. On that day, the options for legal mobile sportsbooks could go from three to as many as seven.
