Indiana sports betting is glinting on the horizon thanks to state’s House Ways and Means Committee.
In line with a version that passed through the Senate in February, S 552 cleared a recent House committee vote by a margin of 17 to 6. Although the bill has a long way to go until it’s passed into law, the latest push was an important one.
During the meeting, a number of significant amendments were introduced. The most notable were those filed by Rep. Todd Huston. Among his recommendations, Huston wants to delay the launch of Indiana sports betting to at least September 2019.
Changes Keep Sports Betting Bill Alive
Additionally, Huston wants to reduce the license fee from $100,000 to $10,000 and set a tax rate of 9.5%.
Naturally, these amendments may not stand as the bill moves through the system. However, the House Ways and Means Committee were in favor of making the licensing process more attractive.
The final change introduced and subsequently approved was a 3.3% of adjusted revenue contribution to problem gambling initiatives.
Even with much to discuss, S 552 cleared another hurdle on April 9 and will now move to the House floor. Any changes here would have to be approved by the upper chamber before it lands on Governor Eric Holcomb’s desk.
If he gives it the green light, Indiana sports betting will become a reality. However, with the legislative session set to close somewhere around April 29, it’s not dead cert just yet.