Indiana Online Casinos

The US states are slowly but surely changing their stance on online gambling activities. Recently, Indiana has become one of the states that have regulated and legalized some forms of online gambling. By reading this article, you will get an insight into the current state of online gambling in Indiana.

All forms of gambling activities are legalized on a state-by-state basis in the US. In Indiana, the first attempts at legalizing gambling activities were made in 1988 when the Hoosier Lottery was established. Then came the pari-mutuel betting on horse races in 1989. There were a few fruitless attempts to introduce and legalize casinos. Finally, in 1993, the construction of first riverboat (land-based) casinos was authorized.

Continue reading the article to find out the current legal status of all forms of gambling, which ones are legal, and which ones might become legal in the future. Additionally, we will select a few gambling options we believe will give you the ultimate gambling experience.

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Is Online Gambling Legal in Indiana?

Generally speaking, online gambling isn’t legal in the state of Indiana, with the exception of online sports betting. The first sportsbooks were introduced in September 2019 and online sportsbooks followed just a month later. This gave sports betting fans from Indiana a wide range of sports to bet on.

Even though the online sports betting market is new in Indiana, it’s growing fast. In fact, many sportsbooks are currently operating through mobile apps — there are seven mobile sports betting apps you can use to place bets. We predict more will be coming soon.

Each of these online betting sites and apps has partnered up with a land-based operator. Below, you can take a look at the existing partnership deals in Indiana:

  • Ameristar Casino Resort: DraftKings Sportsbook,
  • French Lick Resort Casino: Rush Street Interactive,
  • Belterra Casino Resort: FanDuel Sportsbook,
  • Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg: Kambi,
  • Blue Chip Casino: FanDuel Sportsbook,
  • Horseshoe Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino: Scientific Games,
  • Harrah’s Hoosier Park: Scientific Games,
  • Rising Star Casino Resort: BetAmerica, Wynn Resorts,
  • Horseshoe Hammond Casino: Scientific Games,
  • Winner’s Circle Indianapolis: Scientific Games,
  • Indiana Grand Racing & Casino: Scientific Games,
  • Winner’s Circle Clarksville: Scientific Games,
  • Tropicana Evansville Casino: William Hill,
  • Winner’s Circle New Haven: Scientific Games.

While the online sportsbook market is flourishing, online casinos are strictly prohibited. Furthermore, anyone who plays in an online casino is committing a criminal act. That applies to online poker as well. At the moment, the only legal way to enjoy a real casino experience is to go to a land-based establishment.

In some states, an alternative to online casinos is sweepstakes casinos. However, the Indiana law against online gambling even bans sweepstake casinos from operating within the state.

What Types of Gambling Activities Are Allowed in Indiana?

At the moment, there are 13 land-based casinos, with two more coming in the future, that hold valid licenses to operate and offer gambling activities to their visitors. These facilities have a rich selection of top casino games, such as slot machines, blackjack and roulette tables, a few versions of poker baccarat, video poker, craps, etc.

In 2015, a new legislature modified the existing casino law and allowed the state’s riverboat casinos to transfer to land-based facilities on their sites. This was an attempt to help casinos have an edge against other land-based casinos in neighboring states.

The state of Indiana also has a national lottery — the Hoosier Lottery. The lottery includes scratch-offs, draw games, and fast-play games. Any authorized retailer in the state can sell Hoosier Lottery tickets.

Of course, you can’t buy tickets online. What you can do is install the lottery app and create your payslip. However, you will still need to go to a retailer to pay and print the payslip. The state of Indiana also allows charitable gaming and pari-mutuel wagering.

When PASPA was overturned in 2018, states began to legalize sports betting. Land-based casinos in Indiana have opened their doors to sports betting in September 2019, with their online counterparts being launched a month later. A large portion of Indiana’s land-based casinos holds the license to offer sports betting. Players can simply visit a retail sportsbook and place a bet.

Here’s the selection of sports you can bet on in Indiana:

  • Football
  • College football
  • Baseball
  • Hockey
  • Boxing
  • Tennis
  • College basketball
  • Basketball
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • MMA
  • Golf
  • Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)
  • Car racing
  • Other disciplines

The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) oversees all these gambling activities, apart from horse racing. Wagering on horse racing is legal in Indiana, and it’s regulated by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC). By legalizing sports wagering, Indiana has attracted numerous bettors from neighboring states.

Future of Online Gambling in Indiana

With two more land-based casinos coming in the future, we are hoping to see more sports betting opportunities. Even though, at the moment, there are only sports betting apps players can use, Indiana might follow in the footsteps of other US states that have launched their first online sports betting sites. As far as we are concerned, online sportsbooks have a bright future in Indiana.

Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for online casino & poker platforms. Due to the state’s legal structure, online casinos and poker sites aren’t permitted to operate. If anyone gets caught playing in online casinos, they might suffer some pretty serious consequences.

Therefore, we can’t guarantee that Indiana will change its stance on online casinos and poker rooms. In the meantime, you can always visit one of the land-based options and enjoy an amazing gambling experience.

Where to Gamble in Indiana — Land-Based & Online Options

Anyone who wants to try out some form of gambling in Indiana won’t be faced with a shortage of gambling opportunities. There are plenty of options you can choose from.

Let’s start with land-based casinos that offer a wide range of casino games, poker rooms, and sports betting opportunities:

  • Ameristar Casino East Chicago – East Chicago
  • Belterra Casino – Florence
  • Blue Chip Casino – Michigan City
  • Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg – Lawrenceburg
  • Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana – Elizabeth
  • Horseshoe Casino Hammond – Hammond
  • Indiana Grand Racing & Casino – Shelbyville
  • Tropicana Evansville – Evansville

There are still some casinos that don’t have a license for offering sports betting and some that refrain from offering poker rooms. However, there is still a wide range of possibilities for anyone who wants to try out diverse forms of gambling.

Additionally, sports aficionados have the option of betting online on their favorite sports events.

There are seven mobile apps dedicated to sports wagering:

  • DraftKings Sportsbook
  • BetRivers Sportsbook
  • FanDuel Sportsbook
  • BetMGM
  • Caesars Sportsbook
  • BetAmerica Sportsbook
  • PointsBets

Due to Indiana’s laws being so strict, online sports betting sites still haven’t been launched. One thing is certain — sports betting enthusiasts are very interested to see when online sportsbooks will join the gambling market.


FAQ

At the moment, the state of Indiana hasn’t regulated the online casino market. However, given that the number of online casinos in other states is on the rise, Indiana might change its stance on online casinos. If sports betting proves to be a profitable endeavor, it might motivate the government to rethink their decisions.

Online sportsbooks and sports betting apps use special geolocation technology to determine every player’s location. However, you don’t necessarily have to be a resident of Indiana. What matters is that you are located within the state of Indiana when placing bets. That means you can also be a visitor.

Yes, mobile sports wagering is up and running in Indiana at the moment. Usually, all the apps are compatible with iOS and Android mobile devices. Follow the instructions and you will easily install the app and begin placing bets using your mobile device.

If you want to place a bet or partake in any form of gambling, you need to be older than 21. A valid ID is a must.

Unfortunately, the state of Indiana is strictly against online slots. Maybe that will change in the future, but for now, online slots are prohibited.