The first online sportsbook in Indiana could be just around the corner, unless something unexpected happens between now and October 3. According to the Indy Star, Rush Street Interactive (RSI) was given two thumbs up for its mobile sports gambling application by the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) yesterday, and will be able to offer its platform to anyone of legal gambling age in the state.
RSI has already been operating a retail sportsbook at Indiana’s French Lick Resort. That property received its approval for a physical option earlier this month and has been working on putting together a mobile platform with RSI. The good news for Indiana sports fans, unlike what is seen in other states, they won’t have to travel to the physical casino to register first – they can download the RSI app and get started immediately.
In making its decision, the IGC’s executive director, Sara Gonso Tait, explained, “Rush Street has substantially demonstrated to the satisfaction of the commission that its mobile sports wagering operation meets the requirements of Indiana Code Article 4-38, the Commission’s Emergency Regulations, and all Commission Directives related to sports wagering activities.” It was a momentous achievement for RSI and one that is going to propel the company ahead of the competition.
Indiana saw its first sportsbooks start to launch at the beginning of this month – French Lick came into the mix on September 6 – and there are already 13 gambling-related venues that have sought a sports gambling license. The lone holdout is the Rising Star Casino Resort in Rising Sun. Being able to offer the first mobile app, if everything works as well as it has for the company in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, will give RSI the ability to start securing its client base while the others figure out how to enter the space.
Among those still looking to offer mobile sports gambling in Indiana are some big names that, for one reason or another, haven’t been able to get organized enough yet to make progress. Among these are William Hill, FanDuel, Caesars Entertainment – all of which are already tied to Indiana gambling – and DraftKings, which was approved for a vendor license last month. DraftKings is going to become the online gambling skin for the Ameristar Casino East Chicago through an agreement with Ameristar owner Penn National.
Although Indiana has been somewhat more liberal with its mobile sports gambling regulations, compared to other states, there are still some expected restrictions. Gamblers have to be 21 years old or older and complete certain know-your-customer procedures that are customary with gambling operations. Personal identifying data will have to be provided when registering with the mobile apps, and could require the submission of information such as a partial social security number, birth date, email address and even a credit or debit card number.
