(Photo: lucadp/Thinkstock)
The major gambling bill at the Indiana Legislature cleared its first hurdle Wednesday afternoon, after the Senate Public Policy Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 552, which would allow two casinos in Gary to relocate, accelerate when horse-track casinos could begin offering live table games from 2021 to this year and legalize sports gambling.
The bill would allow casinos to offer sports wagering, in person or via smartphone for preregistered gamblers. The Indiana Gaming Commission would decide which pro or college sports or events are eligible for bets. The only sports explicitly off-limits are high school games and professional e-sports.
Indiana State Senator Mike Young joined the Hammer and Nigel show Thursday with an update, and offered an opinion on whether the bill will ultimately become law.
“I believe this bill will pass the Senate,” said Senator Young. “How it would pass in the House, I’m not sure.”
Young indicated that one challenge to a successful passage of the bill is tied to the interest in other casinos.
“My understanding is that they’re trying to work something out with communities that are potentially going to lose revenue,” said Young. “For example, the horse race industry gets certain monies from the casinos, and if they lose that, they’ll be short on money. So I think the Terre Haute casino would potentially make up some of the shortfall there.”
“There are other casinos that might be losing money because of having live gambling at the casinos,” Young continued, and they might not be in favor of the bill.”
Senator Young said the possibility existed that legislators who represent casinos in the areas that stand to lose revenue could potentially be a roadblock to making the bill law.
Click the link below to hear Hammer and Nigel’s full interview with Senator Young:
