The Indiana online gambling space just got a little bit more crowded.
On Monday, Churchill Downs’ online/mobile sportsbook BetAmerica launched in Indiana cyberspace. The platform is limited to those 21 years of age and older located within Hoosier State borders. Geolocation technology makes the platform inoperable outside of state lines.
The sportsbook is also available via web browser.
Indiana marks the third state for BetAmerica. The platform also launched in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania launch came earlier this month, making BetAmerica the eighth online/mobile sportsbook in that state. BetAmerica has been active in New Jersey since February. Additionally, BetAmerica is involved with retail wagering in Mississippi.
Churchill owns a casino in Pennsylvania under which it launched online/mobile sports betting. In Indiana, BetAmerica launched under a partnership with Full House Resorts and its Rising Star Casino. BetAmerica received a temporary vendor license for sports betting from the Indiana Gaming Commission back in September. Its mobile launch authorization came on Dec. 21. It took several months to bring the product to market. BetAmerica is one of three sports betting partners for Full House Resorts in the Hoosier State.
In addition to a sportsbook, BetAmerica offers betting on horse racing and is an online casino in the state of New Jersey. Pennsylvania regulates online casino games, but BetAmerica doesn’t offer them in the Keystone State. It eventually will. Indiana has not yet legalized online casino gambling, but lawmakers will likely consider a plan to do so in the coming years.
BetAmerica is currently powered by SBTech, which recently reached a deal to be acquired by BetAmerica rival DraftKings.
Previous launches
BetAmerica’s launch is the first in the state since October.
In early October, Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers platform launched, as well as a product from Boston-based DraftKings. Later in October, FanDuel launched its platform. Every online/mobile sportsbook must have a brick-and-mortar casino partner, under Indiana law.
Online/mobile gambling products from the likes of Caesars Interactive Entertainment and William Hill are in the pipeline, as both have received temporary vendor licenses from the IGC. FOX Bet, which will soon by owned by FanDuel parent Flutter Entertainment, could also launch in Indiana sometime in the coming year. Each Indiana casino can have three sports betting skins.
Mobile handle growing
The addition of BetAmerica will contribute to online/mobile’s growing share of the handle pie.
In November, the most recent month of official Indiana sports gambling data, online/mobile wagering accounted for more than 65% of the handle. More than $96 mm of the $147.28 mm in total statewide betting handle came via the internet.
In October, online/mobile accounted for 52.4% of the $91.7 mm in total handle.
In New Jersey, the online gambling gold standard, the internet accounted for 86.5% of the handle in November. The Hoosier State has a ways to go before replicating the Garden State market, but it will eventually get there. More online sportsbooks in the mix will give consumers more options and drive the non-retail handle upward.
