Indiana Senator Jon Ford, a vocal gaming proponent in the Hoosier State, will step down on October 16th to pursue other interests. His efforts to bring sports betting to the state were notable but his desire to pass online casino gambling legislation has gone unfulfilled.
Ford Champion of Regulated Gambling in Indiana
Senator Jon Ford will leave an indelible mark on Indiana sports betting when he steps down in a few weeks. The 51-year-old Republican led the charge for retail and digital sports betting by seeing the sports betting bill signed by the governor in May 2019 and a subsequent launch in October of that year.
He was also successful in getting two riverboat casinos moved inland where they would attract more business and thus generate more tax dollars. Ford says his efforts in expanding gambling in Indiana were among his highlights during the nine years he served in the state senate.
“It ranks up there. I think we were able to do a lot from legalizing daily fantasy sports to moving casinos inland during my tenure. And I never dreamt sports wagering would be as big as it is. I think those continue to be very positive impacts on Indiana gaming,” Ford said.
Next Chapter
Ford’s next chapter will include a position at Reliable Energy, a coal industry and fossil fuel lobbying group based in Indiana, founded by prominent lobbyist Matt Bell. But more germane to the topic at hand, Bell also served as a former state representative and chairman of the Indiana Gaming Commission while also chosen to lead the Casino Association of Indiana.
Bell spoke about Ford’s political legacy when he said, “Sen. Ford has been an articulate voice and key leader in Indiana’s efforts to modernize its casino gaming environment. Sen. Ford has been at the forefront of critical policy discussions including legalizing daily fantasy sports, introducing mobile sports wagering, and locating a casino license in his hometown of Terre Haute. He led the conversation on iGaming and has done a tremendous job of educating his colleagues. The gaming industry is thankful for his leadership and advocacy and wishes him great success in his future endeavors.”
Will iGaming Come to Indiana?
Online casino gambling has been Ford’s metaphorical white whale in that it has been far more elusive than bringing mobile sports betting to the masses. Although Ford brought it to the fore in 2021, it hasn’t even gotten out of committee and the senator opined on the subject in a recent interview.
“I think the problem in Indiana is very similar to what we’re seeing across the country in that a lot of people have no idea or understanding of what iGaming is, and that includes legislators. So, I think for iGaming to move forward in this country, we need to do a better job as an industry explaining what it is. I think a lot of folks thought it would be easy as sports wagering was. But everybody knew what sports betting was about.,” offered Ford.
Representative Ethan Manning has been a staunch ally of Ford’s and will likely seize the mantle in effectuating an iGaming bill that will bring online casino slots and table games to the denizens of Indiana.
Ford said, “I hope iGaming moves forward in Indiana next year, and I hope a strong responsible gaming package moves forward as part of it.
“I obviously would have liked to have gotten it done while I was there, but we’ve got great people who will push the issue forward without me. The goal is to have a hearing in the House, get it out of the House, and get it to the Senate. Then there will be someone to take over and champion it.”
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