Indiana targets online and mobile sports betting in 2019

Lawmakers in Indiana are keen to push through legislation that would allow consumers to place legal sports bets online and via mobile early next year.

Indiana is one of several states mulling over the option to legalise sports betting after the Supreme Court’s ruling on PASPA earlier this year.

Neighbouring state Illinois last week held talks over the possibility of pushing through new laws early next year, while to the east, both Pennsylvania and West Virginia have recently passed legislation to regulate sports betting.

A legislative study committee in Indiana recently recommended lawmakers look at introducing sports betting laws when they reconvene for the 2019 session.

According to the Times of Northwest Indiana, lawmakers would back legislation that includes online and mobile sports betting, in order to allow the state to take full advantage of opportunities associated with legal sports wagering.

Nevada and New Jersey both allow punters to wager online and mobile, and are some way out in front in terms of sports betting revenue. Lawmakers are keen to replicate this approach should laws go through.

Should this be the case, a state-commissioned study by research firm Eilers and Kejcik said that Indiana could expect consumers to place more than $250m (£193m/€218m) in sports wagers each year.

In comparison, New Jersey saw punters bet $95.6m in the second full month of regulation, while Mississippi, which has also legalised sports betting in the wake of the PASPA ruling, recorded $31.8m in wagers last month.