Indiana’s online sports betting handle was up 62.2% from August, and September 2022 was up 10.3% year-over-year, recovering from the quiet months of July and August. Total handling for September reached US$352.5m, up from US$216.6m in August and US$320m last year.
Retail sports betting in the state showed strong results, with prices just shy of US$30m, up from US$18.4m in August, but down from US$35m last year. September 2022 marks the fourth year of retail betting and the third of online betting. The online betting portfolio was conveniently registered in September.
Total sports betting tax revenue for the month was US$4.86m, out of taxable AGR of US$51.2m.
The leader in AGR was Blue Chip Casino and online partner FanDuel, showing a handle of US$108.1m and AGR of US$16.7m. The biggest takeaway was DraftKings, which in partnership with Ameristar Casino took US$131.5m in wagers but got a low AGR.
Is iGaming on the horizon?
The Indiana Gaming Commission released a 103-page study earlier in October analyzing online gambling and considering the potential impact of legalization in the state. The study was carried out by the IGC, with consultancy Spectrum Gaming Group, suggesting a seamless process with the potential to earn the region up to US$943m in tax if proven legal.
At the time of this writing, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia remain the only states with legalized iGaming. The comprehensive report also suggested three different possible ways for the state to choose legalization for iGaming, reducing the potential harm to players of all ages – younger, more digitally savvy youth are more likely to be exposed to problem gambling at online casinos.
No legislation has yet been introduced to suggest that it will be enacted in any way, as is the strong opposition to its legality.
