casino association of indiana sports betting

They must also decide on the appropriate level of taxation. Lawmakers should take steps to ensure that help is available. Her organization estimates that between 4% and 5% of Hoosiers have some problem with gambling, but the experts say few gamblers will admit they have a problem, and even fewer seek professional help. “You don’t have to physically get up and go anywhere,” she told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Christina Gray, executive director of the Indiana Council on Problem Gambling, suggested that this more accessible form of betting could well cause that population to grow. Still, the measure faces some significant obstacles, not the least of which might be the opposition of Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray.īray said through spokeswoman Molly Fishell that he didn’t expect to see his chamber move forward with an iGaming bill this year.įishell told the Indiana Capital Chronicle that Bray cited several factors, including “the significant expansion of our gaming laws over the last four years, the fact that he doesn’t have constituents coming to him requesting iGaming, and that Indiana already ranks fourth in the nation for casino revenue.”īefore they expand that number, lawmakers must make sure they have a plan to help that small percentage of Hoosiers for whom gambling is an addiction. Ethan Manning, the Peru Republican who has introduced such legislation in previous sessions, is now chairman of the committee that will consider the bill in the House of Representatives. The movement toward online gaming is clearly picking up steam. “Will we look at the future of the industry, and allow it to evolve, and allow it to develop new revenue streams, or will we insist that it remain static and see how much of our business is cherry-picked by new developments in Illinois, Kentucky, and improved amenities in Michigan and Ohio?” he said. “I think policymakers have a moment to make a choice,” he told those gathered for a recent legislative conference.īell warned that without change, casinos could absolutely anticipate a loss of revenue. Matt Bell, president and chief executive officer of the Casino Association of Indiana, says the time has come for state lawmakers to clear the way for online gaming.

Casino association of indiana sports betting