Indiana Gaming Commission waves aside concerns about major funding shift in new law

Indiana gaming officials seem to be largely dismissing concerns about a new law that will fundamentally shift the way gaming enforcement is funded.

SEA 256 will no longer allow the state Gaming Commission to use fines and penalties it collects to fund its investigations.

And if the increased money the agency will now receive from the state budget isn’t enough, the commission must seek approval from the State Budget Committee — largely made up of lawmakers — to get more funding.

In a statement, Indiana Gaming Commission officials said they’ll work to comply with the new law, like any piece of legislation. And they said they don’t anticipate any “negative impact on agency operations” as a result of the measure.

READ MORE: Lawmakers shift the way Indiana funds gaming enforcement, add more legislative oversight
 

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Critics of the bill argue it’s injecting lawmakers directly into gaming enforcement, at a time when three former Republican state lawmakers have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the gaming industry in just the last few years.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.