Miller esports legislation passes House of Representatives

House Bill 1608, authored by State Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne), passed out of the House of Representatives today by a vote of 74-17. The bill requires the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to develop strategies to make Indiana a leader in the growing esports industry.

"The economic impact of esports – an industry worth billions of dollars – in Indiana would be astronomical," Miller said following the vote. "Every year, events such as Gen Con and professional conventions bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Indiana, and we now have an opportunity to bring even more dollars to the state through esports tournaments and conventions.

"Colleges throughout the state have already dedicated high-tech spaces to esports competitions and offer scholarships to recruit students for their varsity gaming teams. The interest is clearly there, and this bill will help Indiana get out in front of the growing trend and benefit from the money and opportunities it brings in."