Mobile sports betting open
Indiana is now the eighth state in the US to have legal online sports betting after its launch on October 3.
On the day, there were only two online sportsbooks open for business in the Hoosier state. BetRivers, a brand operated by Rush Street Interactive, is being operated through a license from the French Lick Casino. DraftKings has also launched its own online sportsbook in Indiana. There is only one other unnamed operator that has applied for a mobile sportsbook license in the state. Its application is currently under review by the Indiana Gaming Commission.
the eighth state in the US to have legal online sports betting
Rush Street Interactive’s president, Richard Schwartz, said “we are excited to make history in the state of Indiana.”
Dedicated sportsbook apps developed
The BetRivers and DraftKings sportsbooks are currently accessible via a web browser. There is also a dedicated app for Android and Apple users when you sign up for an account with DraftKings. Only an Android app is available from Rush Street Interactive.
Neither of the Android apps can be downloaded from the Google Play store. Instead, players in Indiana will have to download the apps directly from the operator’s website.
User identity verification and geolocation functions in place
Users wishing to place sports bets online are first required to verify their identity, which ensures they are at least 21 years old. Verification is carried out by scanning a copy of a government-issued ID to the respective platform on sign-up.
users from neighboring states will have to cross over the border
There are also geolocation functions integrated into the operator’s respective apps to ascertain that sports wagers are only made within state lines. Users from neighboring states will have to cross over the border to Indiana to place their mobile sports bets.
Indiana showing huge market potential
Indiana is the first big state in the Midwest to launch online sports betting, so it is expected to garner a lot of attention in the coming months. Its casinos have enjoyed great success in the past, attracting people from outside the state to play at their facilities.
The Indiana Gaming Commission’s executive director, Sara Gonso Tait, said the retail sports betting launch went smoothly. She added that the commission hopes the same will be the case for the mobile launch.
While Rush Street Interactive and DraftKings say they are focusing their marketing efforts on gamblers within Indiana, Schwartz indicated there is potential to attract players from major regions close by. These include Kentucky, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Chicago.
State’s Gaming Commission sees future for mobile sports betting
Retail sports betting in Indiana has been in place since September 1. Currently, retail sportsbooks are available in ten of the state’s thirteen casinos. There are also sportsbooks open at three off-track betting facilities.
While most of the casino operators plan to eventually launch mobile sports betting apps, no other launch dates have been provided to date. At the end of August, there was not a single application submitted to the Indiana Gaming Gommission for a mobile sports betting license.
The state government projects that approximately two-thirds of all sports bets in the state will eventually come through mobile sources.