Indiana's state legislature will consider a recently introduced iGaming measure in 2023 that also includes provisions for the legalization and regulation of online poker. State Rep. Ethan Manning introduced his House Bill 1536 on January 12, amid a mass of new legislation submitted on that day, the cutoff date for the introduction of new House bills for 2023 in the Hoosier State.
Rep. Manning's bill reportedly been in the works since the last months of 2022, though it was slightly delayed in the submission process and only recently became available via Indiana's online legislative portal. Besides online poker, HB 1536 includes provisions for online casinos and racinos, to be offered in conjunction with land-based gaming licenses, and an expansion of the state's lottery offerings into the online sphere.
It's the third straight year that a multi-category iGaming measure has been submitted for Indiana's legislative consideration after live and online sports betting won approval in 2019. State Reps. Alan Morrison and Jon Ford separately introduced iGaming measures in 2021 that gained little traction. Last year, Manning and Rep. Doug Gutwein introduced HB 1356 along similar lines. The bills died in the House's Committee on Public Policy, an initial legislative clearing house. In 2023, however, Rep. Manning has become the chair of the committee, increasing the latest bill's chances for advancement.
Hoped-for July approval date, multi-state provisions included
Manning's HB 1536 will need to gather momentum in a hurry if it's going to meet the July 1, 2023 approval date the bill promises. That leads up to a possible September 1, 2023 launch date according to its backers' plans.
