SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Indiana State Representative Alan Morrison has asked Indiana courts to review a draft sports betting bill proposal which Morrison put forward to the courts on Friday 9 January.
The bill follows the mechanisms put forward by New Jersey State in 2014, which would allow for sports betting services to be offered by licensed state casinos and race tracks.
Speaking to local news sources Morrison stated that his decision to put forward the Indiana sports betting bill was driven by the recent traction that sports betting has witnessed on the national agenda.
Morrison further stated that Indiana State, should act quickly in order to secure its cut from sports betting wagers which are currently being served by illegal bookmakers. Allowing sports betting in licensed gambling premises would secure safety for potential Indiana sports betting consumers.
The State Representative believes that legalised sports betting, could raise Indiana between $12 to $70 million if implemented correctly. Morrison stated that sports betting taxes were vitally needed as Indiana had witnessed a decline in its sanctioned gaming revenues.
“Gaming is something that this state has become extremely reliant upon, that revenue,” Morrison said. “As it’s been trending down, it’s incumbent upon us to figure out how to fix it or to improve on what we have.”
“If it were to (become legal) in July, let’s say, that would back us up another year before we could start the process,”. If we have it on the books, where it’s up to our Gaming Commission, then we’d be ahead of the game on that.”
Morrison ended his announcement, by urging Indiana Courts to pronounce their intentions with regards to the matter as quickly as possible, in order for Indiana to avoid following the bureaucratic situation witnessed by New Jersey State.
