Online Gambling in Indiana: The Facts

• Legal online gambling options: Sports
• Legal gambling age: 21
• Who regulates gambling in Indiana? Indiana Gaming Commission
• Legal mobile gambling: Yes, for sports. Not yet for casinos.
• Do I need to physically be in Indiana to gamble? Yes
• Do I need to be a resident of Indiana to gamble? No
• Sports available to wager: NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, NCAA, MLS, and sports across the world
• Sports not available to wager: High school and esports

Indiana supports and promotes responsible gambling.

A Brief History of Online Gambling in Indiana

When Indiana introduced a state lottery in the late 1980s, critics were quick to complain. The staunchest objectors warned that it was a slippery slope with casino gambling waiting at the end of it. But lottery proponents scoffed at the idea. They couldn't see how the lottery would cause casinos would gain favor in Indiana.

Credit for the creation of the Indiana casino market goes to former Gary, Ind., mayor Thomas Barnes. It was his idea in 1989 to acquire 350 acres of property and build as many as five casinos in the city.

Resistance in the state senate effectively blocked that first plan. However, the effort to legalize casino gambling in Indiana continued. Over the next couple of years, various other plans were proposed to the legislature. 

The two sides reached a compromise in 1993. One side got a new budget with no tax increases and the other got riverboat casinos.

This victory allowed the legal operation of several water-based casinos on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River. However, the impracticality of demanding the riverboats to be genuine seaworthy vessels soon became apparent. And that is why all 'riverboat casinos' in Indiana today are riverboats in name only.

Online Sports Betting in Indiana

Surprisingly, Indiana didn't even think about legalizing sportsbooks in the state until relatively late in the day. And that's why the first legal sportsbooks in Indiana didn't open until September 2019.

Despite the late start, a total of 12 land-based Indiana sportsbooks have now opened. From East Chicago in the northwest to Florence in the southeast, the retail coverage of sportsbooks here is impressive.

Even more impressive is the fact that online sportsbook in Indiana are also now legal. Every legal online sportsbook is affiliated with a retail partner. All are tightly regulated for the safety and security of bettors.

Online Casinos in Indiana

Given all of this, you might expect that online casinos in Indiana would also have been made legal. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Gambling law in Indiana doesn't currently allow online casinos or online poker rooms. Of course, there is plenty of time for that to change in the future.

What are the Gambling Laws in Indiana?

• All bettors must be at least 21 years old to participate in online gambling in Indiana. The state lottery, charitable bingo games, and parimutuel betting all have an age requirement of 18.
  
• Every person who participate in online gambling in Indiana must do so from within the state lines.
  
• All current retail casinos, horse-track casinos, and off-track betting sites are eligible to apply for a sports betting license. This has been the case since the legalization of sports betting in 2019.
  
• Casinos in Indiana must pay a sliding tax rate. This begins at 15% for adjusted gross revenue up to $25 million. It increases to as much as 40% for revenue over $600 million.

• Sports betting is taxed at 9.5%.

• It is legal to place bets on the Academy Awards in Indiana.

• Severe punishment awaits anyone who participates in illegal gambling activities in the state. Criminals will be charged with a Class D felony and receive hefty fines and even jail time. These are some of the harshest penalties anywhere in the US.

Indiana Online Sportsbooks

All online sportsbooks in Indiana must have a retail casino partner. The table below shows the online sportsbooks that are currently operating, along with the land-based casinos they are affiliated with. The date of launch is also provided for reference purposes.

FOX Bet, Wynn Resorts, and bet365 are also aggressively looking to get into the Indiana online and mobile gaming market, making the above list just a small sampling of what is to come.

Types of Sports Bets Allowed in Indiana

Unlike some other states, law governing online gambling in Indiana allow betting on college sporting events that take place in the state and involve Indiana-based teams. This means that betting on Notre Dame football and Indiana Hoosiers basketball is perfectly legal. Much to the relief of both sportsbooks and fans in the state!

In Indiana, the only things that you can't legally bet on are esports, high school sports, and amateur sporting events involving participants under the age of 18.

The types of sports bets allowed in Indiana include the usual sports betting standards, which are as follows:

In-Play Betting

Also known as live betting or in-game betting, in-play betting allows you to bet on sporting events that are already in progress. There are quarter and halftime bets, multiple buyout options, and more. As the score of the game and the amount of time remaining changes, so do the odds and points spreads. 

The Indiana Gaming Commission does have discretionary powers to limit the scope of in-play betting, but so far it hasn'te exercised those powers.

Moneyline

A sports betting staple, the moneyline allows you to strike a straightforward bet on who will win the game and who will lose the game. You can side with the underdog for a higher potential payout, or bet on the obvious favorite for a greater chance of winning a little less.

Point Spread

These wagers use a point spread to separate the favorite from the underdog. Bookmakers set the line before the game, and you choose to take the points or give them.

Totals

This is a bet on the total combined points scored by both teams in a single event. It's also known as an over/under bet because you bet that the result will be over or under the posted totals line. You can also find over/under bets on a team's win total for the entire season.

Parlay

A parlay is a group of small individual bets that combine into one larger bet. Parlays can include anything from two to five bets, and all of them must win for the parlay to succeed as a whole. If one or more of the component bets lose, the entire parlay loses.

Round Robin

This bet also allows you to bet on a series of smaller bets, but here each smaller bet also pays off in its own right. If you've ever boxed a trifecta at the horse track, then you understand round robins.

Prop Bets

Proposition or prop bets are ones placed on specific outcomes in a sporting event that aren't related to the overall result. They are particularly popular during special events, like the Super Bowl. Examples include betting on how many touchdowns will be thrown by a quarterback, or on the total number of caution flags that will be shown during the Indy 500.

Futures Bets

These are bets on events that have yet to take place, and therefore allow you to predict the winner of next year's World Series or NBA Finals. The earlier you place futures bets, the bigger the potential payout.

Online Casinos in Indiana

Although the situation may change in the future, online casino gaming in Indiana remains illegal, and state officials take the engagement in illegal gaming very seriously.

The penalties for facilitating or participating in unregulated gambling are quite harsh compared to those in the rest of the country.

Many Indianans have no doubt accessed offshore online casinos as a way to play online. This is also illegal according to Indiana law, even if the casinos are legally operating elsewhere. 

Offshore and unregulated casinos are not required to protect your identity, your account information, or your money. There is no watchdog to oversee them, and no means of redress should you have a problem with them.

We strongly recommend that if you want to play at a casino, you visit one of the many retail casino venues in Indiana. Online casinos will come one day, and it could be sooner than any of us think.

Anticipated Online Casino Sites

Predicting which casinos are the most likely to embrace online gambling in Indiana is a pretty simple exercise. We simply need to look at which retail casinos are in the state and who their national partners are. 

We can see then what these casinos have done in other states. This allows us to make an educated guess about how quickly they would likely move into an open online market in Indiana.

DraftKings Casino

DraftKings has been one of the first on the scene in other states, and was one of the very sportsbooks to open in Indiana. This venue has gone from a daily fantasy sports site to a complete one-stop shop for all things betting. They are very likely to expand their Indiana operations as soon as they are able.

FanDuel Casino

FanDuel opened its Indiana online sportsbook in October of 2019. As it has done in other states, it will include an integrated casino into its app just as soon as online casino gaming is legalized.

BetMGM

Bet MGM was quick to add its product to markets in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, and its sportsbook has been in Indiana since early 2020. When online casino gaming is allowed, they will be near the front of the line.

Caesars Online Casino

Caesars Casino is one of the newer entries into the Indiana online sports betting market. This casino giant is sure to expand its app and online capabilities when casino gaming is allowed.

Types of Online Casino Games in Indiana

All online casino games will have to be approved by Indiana regulators before they can be offered by a casino. However, in general terms we can look forward to all of the following.Slot Machines

Slots

As much as customers clamor for table games, the old standby slot machine remains the most popular game at the casino. Online slots also give casinos an easy way to provide variety for customers.

Blackjack

If an Indiana casino offers any table games at all, it is sure to offer blackjack. Still the most popular card game at a casino despite the growing competition.

Roulette

An easy game to understand and simulate online, roulette is always popular on the casino floor. It comes in American and European versions, which have two green 0's and one green 0, respectively.

Craps

Craps remains one of the most popular casino games in Indiana. Some say that the online game isn't quite as exciting as when you have a crowded casino cheering on the shooter. However, the online game is more accessible.

Video Poker

Video poker machines come in a wide variety of poker variations. They are extremely popular in Indiana and make an easy transition from live to online play.

Other Games

Indiana retail casinos also offer Caribbean stud, pai gow, four card poker, let it ride, Spanish 21, and baccarat. It is therefore likely that online casinos will do the same.

It's also worth noting that live dealer games have become a popular trend among online casinos. Unfortunately, they are expensive to run because a staff and studio is required. Live dealer games are likely to come to Indiana when online casino gaming becomes legal, but not immediately.

Online Poker in Indiana

A large number of poker rooms can be found at the land-based casinos which stretch across the state. However, online poker in Indiana is currently illegal. It is widely expected that online poker for real money will become legal at some point in the future. Sadly, none of us know when that will be.

Sweepstakes poker, which can be played through sites like Global Poker, is a legal and currently available alternative. It is played with tokens, rather than with real money. Even so, it is competitive and the tokens can be collected and traded for real cash prizes.

Setting Up an Indiana Gambling Account

Setting up an account for gambling in Indiana is achieved through the sportsbook website or mobile app. The procedure will also be the same for any future online casinos or poker rooms.

Indiana law requires that you provide the following information:

• First and last name
• Residential address
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Social Security number
• Username 
• Password 

You will need to choose a unique username and password at the time you sign up for your account. Each site will have different requirements regarding password length and permitted characters.

If the operator is unable to verify your identity, you may be asked to provide additional ID evidence. This could be a utility bill or a form of photo ID, depending on the situation.

Indiana Account Deposits and Withdrawals

When you have set your account, you will need to fund it. The most common ways of doing this are by:

• Credit and debit card
• Online bank transfer
• PayPal
• Prepaid card
• PayNearMe (found inside 7-Eleven stores)

It is preferable to use a method of deposit that connects your regular bank account with the sportsbook account. This decreases the risk of fraud. It also makes it quick and easy to desposit and withdraw funds.

If you make a cash or check transaction, you will have to withdraw funds through a personal check. This method works, but can be slower than any other.