11 sportsbooks could open in Indiana next month

Two gaming companies announced Monday that they expect to open a total of eight sportsbooks throughout Indiana in the month of September — two of which the companies hope to open before the NFL regular season kicks off.

Ameristar Casino East Chicago expects to launch sports betting Sept. 1, and Horseshoe Hammond Casino expects to open its sportsbook Sept. 4, the casinos’ operators said in press releases. 

Caesars Entertainment, which operates Horseshoe Hammond, also hopes to open six more sportsbooks throughout the state in September. Those books will be at:

• Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Anderson
• Horseshoe Southern Indiana in Elizabeth
• Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville 
• Winner’s Circle off-track betting locations in downtown Indianapolis, New Haven and Clarksville

A total of 11 sportsbooks could open in Indiana next month. Boyd Gaming told IndyStar last week that it hopes to open sportsbooks at its Indiana casinos — Belterra in Florence and Blue Chip in Michigan City — in September. Tropicana Evansville also said its sportsbook will open in September. 

State gaming officials could not confirm any launch dates on Monday. Jenny Reske, deputy director of the Indiana Gaming Commission, said no operators have yet met all of the state’s regulatory requirements.

Neither Caesars nor Penn National Gaming, which operates Ameristar East Chicago, addressed whether they will offer mobile sports wagering with the opening of their casino sportsbooks. Spokespeople for the companies did not immediately respond to phone calls from IndyStar.

Indiana gaming officials have previously said it may take longer to roll out mobile sports betting than retail sports betting. Reske said Monday that most operators, if not all of them, will launch retail betting first, followed by mobile betting.

Sports gambling in Indiana: Here’s a list of leagues, events you’ll be able to bet on

Ameristar East Chicago’s sportsbook will be located near the casino’s Stadium Sports Bar and Grill, and will feature a betting counter, odds boards, betting kiosks and ticket writer stations. 

Chicago Bears legends Mike Ditka and Devin Hester will place celebratory wagers Sept. 1 to mark the sportsbook’s opening, Penn National Gaming said in a press release. 

Horseshoe Hammond’s 5,300-square-foot sportsbook, dubbed The Book, will launch one day before the Bears take on the Green Bay Packers in Chicago on Sept. 5 for the first game of the 2019-2020 NFL regular season. The Book will feature a high-resolution LED video wall, six betting counters, lounge chairs and couches, Caesars said in a release. 

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill in May that legalized sports betting in the state beginning Sept. 1. Indiana’s move came on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that declared unconstitutional a 1992 law that banned state-sponsored sports gambling.

What you’ll be able to bet on

In addition to major professional sports leagues like the NFL, NBA and MLB, you’ll also be able to bet on less popular sports like darts, cricket, rugby and sailing. Hockey, boxing, soccer and mixed martial arts will also be available to bet on. 

Wagers on the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL and WNBA drafts will also be available.

A full list of leagues and events you can bet on can be found on the Indiana Gaming Commission’s website.  

You’ll also be able to make proposition bets, which are bets regarding an occurrence within a game. An example of a proposition bet is betting that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck throws four touchdown passes against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 of the NFL season.

14 locations permitted to take bets

The Indiana Gaming Commission has allowed 14 places throughout the state to conduct sports betting as early as Sept. 1. Those locations are: 

• Ameristar Casino in East Chicago
• Tropicana Evansville 
• Belterra Casino Resort in Florence
• Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City
• French Lick Casino 
• Horseshoe Southern in Elizabeth
• Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville
• Rising Star Casino Resort in Rising Sun
• Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Anderson
• Horseshoe Hammond
• Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg
• Winner’s Circle off-track betting locations in Downtown Indianapolis, Clarksville and New Haven

Andrew Clark  Indianapolis Star