Indiana Gaming Commission recruits Eilers & Krejcik for sports betting research
Analysts to conduct sports betting research in preparation for legalisation
The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) has enlisted gaming analysis firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming LLC to conduct a full study on the potential impact of sports betting in the state.
Officials from the IGC have agreed to pay the firm $75,000 over a two-year period to “consult and assist the state” in areas of sports betting legalisation, including but not limited to “market analysis, demographic analysis, fiscal analysis, costs, revenue forecast, revenue impacts, and policy considerations.”
In an interview with the Indiana Journal Gazette, Sara Gonso Tait, executive director of the commission said: “We’re regulators and we view our role as being able to provide education, We wanted to produce a neutral report that could aid decisionmakers.”
With lawmakers due to consider the issue of sports betting in the 2019 legislative session, reports state that Eilers & Krejcik were given an “aggressive timeline” to complete their research.
The firm carried out a similar study for West Virginia last year.
Attempts to legalise sports betting had been gathering pace in Indiana, with senate bill 405 and house bill 1325 both being tabled in the legislature earlier this year.
However, both bills have not advanced to the next stage of the legislative process, with officials instead opting to conduct committee hearings on the issue throughout the summer months before the next session commences.
In an interview with thestatehousefile.com website, Representative Alan Morrison, who co-sponsored house bill 1325 said that the state would be “moving forward” with sports betting this coming legislative session.
Morrison added: “Knowledge is power, and it’s good to identify as much data ahead of time as we can.”
No comment has been made by Eilers & Krejcik since details of the contract were made public.