Indiana lawmakers have finished putting together the state’s new online casino bill.
With the major details worked out, Hoosiers can start to get an early picture of what Indiana’s gambling industry could look like at this time next year.
The Indiana online casino bill will start to make its way through the statehouse in early January. If things go well, then gamblers in the state could be playing online versions of games like blackjack and poker by Sept. 1, 2023
Indiana online casino bill details
Sen. Jon Ford and Rep. Ethan Manning tried to legalize online casinos in 2022, but their efforts ultimately fell short.
Despite that, the duo is taking another stab at things in a few weeks. When Indiana’s legislative session starts next month, their latest online casino bill will be front and center.
The goal is to get the industry up and running by Sept. 1, 2023, but that date isn’t set in stone yet.
Here’s a quick look at a few of the key details of the bill:
- Allows Indiana’s casinos and racinos to offer internet casino games
- Legalizes online poker
- Each casino partner can partner with three different brands
- Allows the Hoosier Lottery to offer internet versions of its games
- Casinos pay $500,000 for their licenses, which renew each year for $50,000
- Online casino revenue would be taxed at 18%
- A 3.33% increment of the taxes would go to the Addiction Services Fund
Hoosiers have grown used to online gambling thanks to the sports betting side of the industry, but online casinos are a entirely different animal. Indiana’s industry could generate nearly $1 billion in revenue every year.
Indiana gambling expansion on the horizon
The first draft for Indiana’s new iGaming bill is complete, but the details aren’t exactly set in stone.
Major gambling expansion like this will have to go through multiple rounds of debate in Indiana’s legislature. That could end up altering some of the finer points of the bill in the coming weeks.
Ford and Manning have already tried to legalize Indiana online casinos before, but things could be different this time around.
Many of the hurdles that previously stood in the way are gone now. The Spectacle Entertainment scandal held things up in past, plus there were pandemic-related issues that took precedence over gambling expansion in recent years.
With those obstacles out of the way, Indiana’s online casino chances could be better than ever in 2023.
The Hoosier State was incredibly quick to launch its online sports betting industry after legalization. Gov. Holcomb gave everything the final thumbs up in May of 2019, and gamblers were placing their bets by September.
Lawmakers have a similar timeline in mind for online casinos. The current bill is hoping to have the industry open for business by next September.
In other words, if things go well for Indiana’s new internet casino bill, then Hoosiers could be playing casino games from the comfort of their homes in under a year.
