Indiana’s 13th online betting app is finally here. SBK Sportsbook is open for business in the Hoosier State.
The company’s Indiana sports betting launch comes just in time for the Big Ten Tournament and March Madness bets. SBK’s debut in the state has been a long time in the making.
Smarkets expanding with SBK Indiana launch
UK-based Smarkets owns SBK Sportsbook, and the company has been working on expanding its reach throughout the US.
Sports betting started in Indiana on Sept. 1, 2019.
Just three days later, Smarkets signed a deal with Full House Resorts to give the company market access to the state.
That same deal also paved the way for SBK’s launch in Colorado.
SBK made its US debut in Colorado when it opened for business in the state back in 2020.
Things moved quickly out west, but progress was slow for the company’s Indiana launch.
After securing market access to the state, it took SBK another 14 months to secure its temporary vendor license. That’s one of the big milestones on the way to opening an online sportsbook in Indiana.
SBK finally snagged its license back in November 2020, but the sportsbook is just now making its Indiana debut well over a year later.
Most sportsbooks launch within a few weeks of getting that license, so SBK definitely took its time when it came to the Hoosier State.
Rising Star Casino partnership
Rising Star Casino is hoping to right the ship when it comes to working with online sportsbooks.
The casino originally partnered up with BetAmerica, but that didn’t exactly go well for either side.
BetAmerica was routinely the worst-performing sportsbook in Indiana’s market.
The brand had its struggles around the country, so much so that Churchill Downs rebranded the sportsbook to TwinSpires. Even that didn’t work out since Churchill is shutting down the sportsbook entirely.
That has Rising Star drumming up new business. The casino partnered with WynnBET, which launched in Indiana in April 2021.
Rising Star will have two online partners now that SBK is finally joining the sports betting party. That should boost the casino’s numbers going forward, and the casino could use the help.
Indiana sports betting grows
Indiana’s sports betting market continues to grow.
Bringing new sportsbooks into the mix will be a big driver of that expansion.
Indiana gamblers have 13 different online sportsbooks to pick from now that SBK is open for business.
SBK is the first new sportsbook to launch in Indiana in 2022. These other new betting apps will also be opening for business in Indiana before long:
- MaximBet
- SI Sportsbook
- fubo Sportsbook
- PlayUp Sportsbook
- betprophet
- Hard Rock Sportsbook
New sportsbooks making their way to the state will push the market further.
Hoosiers wagered over $500 million on sports during January, and that number could keep climbing in the future. Adding new companies to the market will help Indiana make this March Madness tournament one to remember.
