Sports
Indiana Sports Betting Hits $29.9 Billion in Seven Years, but Addiction Services Get a Fraction
Hoosiers have wagered nearly $30 billion on sports since 2019, yet only $2.16 million of the state's $260 million in betting tax revenue has gone to problem gambling programs. Advocates say the state is failing to address the hidden harms of mobile betting.
Indiana gamblers have placed nearly $30 billion in sports bets since the state legalized the practice seven years ago, according to state records, a milestone that has generated hundreds of millions in tax revenue but only a sliver of support for people struggling with addiction.
From September 2019 through September 2026, bettors wagered $29.9 billion, producing $2.72 billion in gross gaming revenue for operators. The state collected about $260 million in sports wagering taxes over that period. But just $2.16 million â roughly 0.83% of the tax haul â has been directed to problem gambling services, according to Indiana Gaming Commission data and state law.
"It's just sad," said Chris Gray, executive director of the Indiana Council on Problem Gambling, a one-person operation. "What I would like to see happen is more money, more education, more awareness. In fact, I am not retiring until I have a staff."
Under Indiana Code 4-38-10-3, sports betting is taxed at 9.5% of adjusted gross gaming revenue. Of that, 3.33% goes to the state's addiction services fund, and 25% of that portion is earmarked for problem gambling â a formula that yields the 0.83% figure. The rest of the tax revenue flows into the state's General Fund.
The state's sports betting handle has grown 223% since 2020, the first full year of legal wagering, when bettors spent $1.77 billion. By 2025, the annual handle had reached $5.72 billion. Through September of this year, bettors had already wagered $4.09 billion.
Indiana ranks 10th nationwide in total money wagered since legalization, according to Legal Sports Report, trailing only Ohio, Colorado, Virginia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. New York leads with $95.9 billion.
"Indiana went from nothing to ... this is effectively found money," said Max Bichsel, group vice president of U.S. business for Gambling.com. "The state is making money. The operators are making money. Everyone is making money."
But critics say the accessibility of mobile betting apps has made it easier for gambling addictions to develop and remain hidden. Eleven online sportsbooks operate in Indiana, including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365 and Fanatics.
"Back in the day, there was some level of barriers that resulted in people not always going through with betting," said Michael Dzwil, a psychotherapist and senior director of clinical outreach at Newport Healthcare. "Now, it's literally you roll out of bed, you turn on your phone and you can place a bet. The accessibility is through the roof."
Gray said calls to her personal work phone from people desperate for help have increased since mobile betting launched. She wants to expand education and awareness programs, starting as early as middle school, and to hire a staff of two to five people.
A national report card from CASPR's online gambling research center gave Indiana a D and ranked it 30th out of 52 jurisdictions, citing "no addiction or bankruptcy prevention protections," allowing operators to offer bets to individuals showing addictive behavior, and an "unusually low tax rate for online gambling."
For some Hoosiers, sports betting remains a casual hobby. Parker Ward, 25, an HVAC worker from Fishers, places $10 to $25 bets on Pacers and Colts games. On the Pacers' opening night, he won $124.13 on a $25 parlay. In October, a $17 NFL parlay turned into $1,100.
"It makes the game more fun to watch. It adds strategy and analytics," Ward said. "But, if you're in gambling to make big money, you're gonna lose."
Even Ward acknowledged the pull of a big win. "That's where you want to just bet it right back," he said, "but that's the trap."
Carl Luther, 47, a longtime Pacers fan, was placing a bet outside Ale Emporium on opening night. He said his betting experience hasn't been great, but he joked that it "hasn't cost me my house." When told the statewide total had reached nearly $30 billion, he paused.
"I'm not sure, in the end," Luther said, "if that's a win or not."
Gov. Mike Braun's office declined an interview request on the state of sports gambling and whether more revenue should go to problem gambling services. "Unfortunately, the governor is not available for the interview," press secretary Griffin Reid wrote in an email.
Indiana's toll-free problem gambling helpline is 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448). Hoosiers can also text INGAMB to 53342. The Indiana Gaming Commission offers an Internet Self-Restriction Program that allows gamblers to bar themselves from licensed mobile sports wagering in the state.