Indiana lawmakers have opted out of considering new gaming bills during next year’s legislative session, according to a WBAA Lafayette local news report.
Both House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said the decision to table discussions on additional gambling legislation stems from a recent guilty plea to federal corruption charges by a former state lawmaker. The charge was connected to a proposed bill in 2019.
Former Representative Sean Eberhart recently admitted to accepting a bribe from Spectacle Gaming, which included the promise of a six-figure job in exchange for a bill in 2019 that benefitted the company.
Bray told local news that considering further gambling legislation beyond next year would be “more difficult” because of other potential opportunities for corruption.
He further commented, “It taints the Statehouse. It diminishes the confidence that people have in the integrity of the Statehouse. It causes an awful lot of problems, and it makes it particularly difficult to engage in that kind of policy.”
Sports wagering in Indiana has been legal since September 2019. Governor Eric Holcomb signed the statewide regulated sports betting bill into law a little more than a year after the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA.
To date, more than 30 states have embraced regulated sports betting since the US Supreme Court ruling in May 2018.
The Hoosier State will soon welcome another casino, adding to its roster of 12 current casino locations. The Terre Haute Casino Resort is scheduled to open in March 2024.
In its latest monthly report, Indiana’s September sports wagering handle from its 12 land-based casinos climbed to nearly $404.2m.
