Evansville May See A $ 2.7 Million Boost In Revenue From “Sports Gaming”

written by Gail Riecken-Editor Of The CCO Statehouse News

If Senate Bill 552 becomes law, Indiana will join 8 states allowing sports gaming. Senators  Mark Messmer and Jon Ford authored SB 552 to legalize sports wagering across the state, in most circumstances.

According to the SB 552 Fiscal Report, “The bill authorizes sports wagering at riverboats, racinos, a Vigo County casino, and satellite facilities. It provides for the administration and conduct of sports wagering. It imposes initial and annual fees on a licensed owner, operating agent, vendor, or permit holder conducting sports wagering.”

The same bill, SB 552, has an interesting section. The bill allows a Gary riverboat license transfer to Vigo County (Terre Haute).

And, if the Gary riverboat transfer takes place, legislators have instituted payments to the locations that Casinos would be impacted, namely Evansville and French Lick.

There would be payoffs from the Vigo County license owner to Evansville Tropicana totaling $2.7 million over 3 years, and payoffs to West Baden Historical and Preservation and Maintenance Fund of $4.5 million over 3 years.

Finally, the bill addresses a situation of one operation being too close to another. SB 552 includes a new rule about relocations, stipulating that a riverboat cannot get a license if relocation is within 75 miles of the closest operation.

The Senate bill, authored by Senator Mark Messmer and Senator Jon Ford, has had mixed support in the Senate. Passage of the bill was 38 to 11.  Area State Senators Vaneta Becker or Senator Jim Tomes voted “NO.”

SB 552 raises questions that need answering. What is the data showing the revenue impact?  I wonder if it isn’t much more serious.

Why are the payments unequal to the Evansville and the West Baden Fund?  If it is the problem of distance with the Vigo Co license where the transfer will take revenue from two other casinos, why aren’t the payments ongoing?

It sounds like this bill has gotten a lot of interest where legislators worked to solve problems with the transfer of the Gary license to Terre Haute. I just wonder why we haven’t heard more about this bill from the local media and our local Legislators?

The Statehouse File notes House Speaker Brian Bosma considers SB 552 “ a major expansion of gambling. In the same article, the writer quotes Governor Eric Holcomb. “Holcomb said he will ‘need to take a deep dive into all the details’ of the legislation.

I understand the Governor’s comments. Sports gaming is an expansion. But the riverboat transfer doesn’t seem to have that characteristic. It seems to be rearranging clientele and gambling revenue.

Evansville needs money. This could be a nice windfall.  But, let’s make sure we get all that we deserve. Let’s make sure we get the same revenue for this bill as the West Baden Hotel.

SSB 552 is now in the House. Senator Todd Huston is the sponsor. I’ll be watching for the assignment to a committee and when it is scheduled for discussion.