Indiana Online Gambling

Indiana has passed gambling legislation that makes some forms of online and in-person activity legal. It is one of the growing number of states in the US to legalize and regulate online betting. The move has made it possible for IN residents to bet safely online at an impressive list of operator sites, including some of the biggest names in the industry.

A fair and competitive industry has developed thanks to regulation and licensing by the state. Online and in-person operations have expanded since the market launched in 2019, proving that the industry can find success in the state. The reviews featured on this site cover Indiana online gaming platforms that are 100% legal and safe.

Read on to find out which gambling activities are legal in Indiana and why finding a legitimate online site should be a priority. Additionally, you will discover which operators are licensed, how to recognize them, and what to expect when betting in the Hoosier State.

Types of Legal Online Gambling in Indiana

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting are legal online in the state while online casino gambling and online poker are not.

Sports Betting

Indiana online sports betting became legal in May 2019 when Gov. Eric Holcomb signed HB 1015 into law, and the first sites were ready to launch in October of the same year. Since the state already has legal land-based casinos and off-track betting (OTB), these locations were chosen to partner with online operators to launch online sportsbooks.

Every OTB and casino in Indiana now has a license for a sportsbook. They can work with online operators to create up to three brands, known as skins, for their sportsbooks. The licenses also permit retail sportsbooks, and most locations have already incorporated this activity in their existing operations.

Several online operators have launched in Indiana since October 2019, including:

• Bally Bet
• Barstool Sportsbook
• BetIndiana
• BetMGM
• BetRivers
• Betway
• Caesars Sportsbook
• DraftKings
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• Hard Rock Sportsbook
• PointsBet (* future Fanatics Sportsbook)
• SBK Sportsbook
• Unibet
• WynnBET

Online Casinos

Indiana online casino gambling is not legal. Land-based operations already exist and were expanded by the same bill that legalized sports betting. State lawmakers were unable to pass a bill in 2023 that called for legalizing online casino gaming and poker.

For now, activity is only permitted in person at casinos in the state. The law is explicit, making participation in online casino gambling a misdemeanor, and for operators in that state, it is a felony. Efforts to change the law are likely to continue, but it may take some time.

Daily Fantasy Sports

DFS was available but considered a gambling gray area. In 2016, Indiana formalized the arrangement with bill SB 339. Today, DFS operators available in the state include:

• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• PrizePicks
• Underdog Sports
• Yahoo

Online Poker

Online poker is not legal in Indiana. It was included in the same legislation from 2023 that called for making online casino gambling legal, which was unsuccessful. As with online casinos, it is expected that efforts to legalize online poker will continue in the Hoosier State.

Why Choose a Legal Indiana Online Gaming Site?

The main advantage of a legal site is that you can have the peace of mind that you are acting within the law. However, the benefits reach much further than that, which means choosing a legitimate sportsbook or DFS site should be your number one priority.

A legal site is one that has received a license from the Indiana Gaming Commission. Part of its role is also to set regulations for fantasy sports and sports betting. These rules set out standards for operators to be fair and transparent.

The aim is to protect customers by preventing underage gambling, making bonuses clear, and ensuring you always have access to your funds. The regulations also state that customer identities and financial data must be 100% safe and secure.

A sports betting site that is operating legally will look after and protect players through responsible gambling tools as well. These are measures to keep betting fun and entertaining and to prevent the harmful effects of problem gambling.

When you choose a legal gaming site, the operator will be contributing to the community. In Indiana, legitimate operators pay 9.5% tax on adjusted gross revenue in the state, and their activities create jobs for local residents.

Gambling tax in Indiana goes to the state’s General Fund. Specific allocations are made to problem gambling services, as well as funding for city and county government projects.

How to Know If an Indiana Online Gambling Site Is Legal, Regulated, and Safe

When you are looking for an online sportsbook or DFS site in Indiana, you will want to be sure that it is legal. There are several signs that differentiate licensed and illegal sites:

Gaming Regulator Seal

If a sportsbook has a license, they will be transparent on showing in on the site. In Indiana, you can expect to see the seal or the name of the regulatory board, the Indiana Gaming Commission or IGC. Most often, the logo or some text with license details can be found in the website footer.

Legal Jurisdiction

To maintain their license, an operator can only offer bets to customers within Indiana or another licensed jurisdiction. When you sign up or log in, you should expect a legal site to ask you to choose from one of its licensed locations. You will need to share or confirm your location when placing a bet.

Recognizable Name

Safe and legal sportsbooks receive their licenses because they have a proven track record and can demonstrate financial stability. For that reason, the majority of legitimate sportsbooks and DFS sites have names that you will recognize. If you are unsure, you can check for a review or article on this site under the company name. If you cannot find any information, it is likely that it is illegal.

Transparent policies and procedures

A trusted gaming site will follow the rules set by the IGC and will disclose the necessary terms and conditions. You can look for clear and transparent language in policies, and a legal site will never restrict access to withdrawing your funds. The policies should set expectations for betting rules, data handling, and financial processes.

Customer Service

Sportsbooks and DFS sites with licenses want to continue their successful operations. To do so, they need customers to enjoy a smooth gaming experience. That can be managed by providing information and resolving issues through polite and helpful customer service. Most legal sites will have live chat, a help center, and both email and phone support.

Rewards Program

Another sign that a site intends to operate in the market for a long time is a rewards program. Illegal and unregulated sites are not focused on longevity, as they could be shut down. It means they do not usually have rewards programs with loyalty points, perks, and prizes.

Headquartered in the US

The big brands behind safe and legal sites will have connections to Indiana through a land-based partner, as well as their main offices at a location in the US. In contrast, illegal sites run their operations from offshore locations.

Important Information When Choosing an Online Gambling Site in Indiana

Finding a legal, safe, and regulated site means you are off to an excellent start. However, you will still want to narrow down the selection to choose a suitable online gambling site. If a sportsbook or DFS site is worth your attention, it will provide value, usability, and quality entertainment at its core. These five attributes will help you make your decision:

Indiana Online Gambling Welcome Bonuses

A welcome bonus is priority number one when looking for value from an operator. When you start your experience with something extra in your bankroll, you can explore and have some risk-free fun.

Welcome packages in Indiana might include a free bet, a deposit match, or bet insurance. Usually, you trigger the reward when signing up or depositing and entering a promotion code or by placing your initial wager.

Not all bonuses offer the same value, and that does not just mean that amount that you get. Wagering requirements should not be too restrictive by making you alter your usual playing style to meet a certain playthrough amount or avoiding popular bet types, for example.

Sports Betting Promotions in Indiana

If bonuses provide value to new customers, promotions are a way to get more as an existing player. For the best deals, you will want a site that regularly updates its bonuses and promotions page or emails you with rewards tailored to your preferences. Ideally, there should be something that you like and can use often, such as weekly and monthly.

Indiana sportsbooks include several types of promotions to appeal to their customers. The most popular offers are free bets, cashback, parlay insurance, betting tournaments and leaderboards, and offers focused on specific events. The best way to get a feel for this is to look at our review pages and visit a few dedicated promotions pages.

Rewards for Indiana Customers

Possibly the easiest way for operators to provide value for customers is to reward them just for playing and betting. An Indiana sportsbook with a rewards scheme is worth your attention. Many sites have programs that recognize loyalty and give you bonuses and benefits in return.

Not every scheme is the same, but most work is based on your betting activity. Bets of a certain value qualify for points, and they accumulate over time. The number of points you earn sets your status, and that determines what kind of perks you get.

Some operators have bonus stores where you redeem points for offers and prizes. Typically, with rewards points, you can redeem them for free bets, betting credits, and even cash.

Indiana Mobile Access

Value alone is not enough; accessibility matters, and how you view odds and get to your account changes your overall experience. As well as desktop options, the best betting sites have apps or mobile versions, so you can carry the action with you wherever you go. Mobile gaming should give you access to betting as well as payment methods, rewards, bonuses, and in-play betting.

High-quality design is crucial, especially on a smaller screen. Apps should be optimized, with thought put into how you scroll, browse, and add bets with one tap. Layout and menus are essential, too, as you will want smooth transitions between depositing, checking the odds, and reviewing your active wagers.

Sports Markets and Navigation

There are three crucial aspects that affect the quality of sportsbook content. They are sports covered, events featured, and the bet types available. An Indiana sportsbook will stand out if it manages to provide a varied range in all those categories. A solid IN sportsbook will offer many sports to wager on and many bets to make. The more popular the sport the more bet types will be available.

When there are lots of choices, the navigation of the site becomes even more important. Clear labels and easy scrolling will save you time and frustration when looking for a game or specific bet. Indiana sportsbooks should also have an in-play section, where you can bet on live games and keep track of the action.

Gaming Regulator Information

The Indiana Gaming Commission is responsible for granting licenses and regulating operations in the state. A sportsbook or DFS site has to cooperate with the IGC and follow its rules to accept bets from people in Indiana. Licenses are awarded to operators that have provided the necessary details, that will adhere to certain standards, and will declare and pay the appropriate taxes.

The IGC also oversees in-person gambling in the state, which means it covers casinos and retail sportsbooks. It sets standards for operators, including avoiding misleading information and being clear about odds, bets, and events. It also ensures that security is maintained, customer data is protected, and that rules for all types of betting are explained.

The Indiana Gaming Commission has a tip line for anonymous reporting of illegal activity or other violations of its rules. Customers can also use the contact form on the site to make complaints, although issues should be addressed to the operator in the first instance. The IGC has an enforcement division that will investigate customer complaints, particularly if they have not had an appropriate response from the betting site.

History of Online Gambling Legislation

Changes to online gambling occurred in the recent history of Indiana’s legislation. First DFS sites were formalized under SB 339 in 2016. Then, in 2019 HB 1015 made online and in-person sports betting possible in the state.

Daily Fantasy Sports continued operating as before but with enhanced customer protection in place. By the end of 2019, the first online sportsbooks had launched and proved to be a success.

Efforts are still being made to change online gambling legislation in Indiana, although they have not been successful in introducing online casinos and poker. Land-based casinos are legal, though.

They were first introduced through the legalization of riverboat casinos in 1993 and with an amendment to include land-based operations in 2015. Besides the commercial casinos, a tribal operation opened in the state in 2018.

Other gambling activities in Indiana include the lottery, which began in 1989, and horse racing. The Horse Racing Commission oversees licenses and regulations. It first began with racetracks at Indiana Grand and Harrah’s Hoosier Park and then off-track betting, but later expanded to include legal online betting.

Responsible Gaming Resources in Indiana

The state, the IGC, and the licensed operators share the responsibility of keeping gaming fun and not harmful to customers. They achieve this by providing responsible gambling tools and making support available. Responsible gaming activities include:

• Setting an age limit of 21 or over and preventing minors from accessing betting.
• Offering tools, which allow users to limit the money or time they spend gambling.
• Making it possible to recognize and avoid potentially harmful gambling behavior by giving the user controls, such as alerts and timeouts.
• Maintaining operator and state-wide exclusion lists in cooperation with the Indiana Racing Commission. They allow users to prevent themselves from accessing online and land-based gambling.
• Contributing or directing revenue to community projects, such as education and problem gambling services.
• Setting and enforcing rules for the handling of customer finances and data.

Setting Gambling Limits

For gambling to remain casual and fun, the customer needs to recognize and be able to set limits. Account settings and tools at online sportsbooks give users control over their activity. Self-regulation services from Indiana operators typically include:

• Deposit Limits: This tool means you can cap the amount you are able to deposit.
• Betting Limits: A tool that sets a maximum that you can wager on individual bets or over a specific period.
• Alerts: This tool is a reminder to stop or take a break. Pop-up notifications tell you how long you have been betting.
• Time restrictions: Another type of limiting tool, it allows you to set a maximum time limit you spend on the site.
• Self-Exclusions: Exclusion lists run by operators allow you to restrict access for a temporary cool-off or stop you from using the site for longer periods, such as several months or years. There’s also a voluntary list in Indiana, which covers all operators in the state.

Problem Gambling

Part of the IGC’s role is to protect anyone gambling in the state, as it can be addictive. In conjunction with licensed operators, it works to raise awareness of what problem gambling looks like and provides support and resources to deal with it.

A list of signs of problem gambling raises awareness, but people need somewhere to turn. The Indiana Gaming Commission and sportsbooks in the state provide information about different advice and support organizations, including:

• IGC Self Assessment: The IGC provides an anonymous online test on their website to help people identify whether they have a problem.
• Indiana Problem Gambling Helpline: The hotline provided by the state provides advice and confidential referrals over the phone via 1-800-9-WITH-IT.
• Indiana Council on Problem Gambling: A non-profit organization that aims to generate awareness and provide education on problem gambling, as well as advocate for quality and accessible treatment.
• NCPG: The National Council on Problem Gambling offers support online and through its hotline 1-800-522-4700.
• GA: Gamblers Anonymous operates across the US and has a chapter in Indiana. You can check the website to find local meetings in the state as well as other important problem gambling information.
• Self-exclusion: The IGC has self-exclusion lists for the different types of gambling in the state. You can add yourself to the voluntary exclusion database in-person at casinos, the IGC office, or with a problem gambling treatment provider. Self-exclusion lasts one or five years, or for life.

Land-based Gambling Available in Indiana

There are 13 casinos in that state; 12 of them are commercial, while the other one is a tribal operation. They all now have licenses to operate online sportsbooks, and some have introduced retail betting. Many of them are still riverboats, as this was the first type of casino to become legal in the state. There are also two racinos at the state’s popular racing tracks.

The casinos feature a mixture of entertainment, including restaurants, live shows, poker, table games, and slots. Venues include:

• Ameristar Casino East Chicago (riverboat) – 777 Aldis Avenue, Hammond, 46312
• Bally’s Evansville – 421 NW Riverside, Evansville, 47708
• Belterra Casino Resort and Spa (riverboat) – 777 Belterra Drive, Florence, 47020
• Blue Chip Casino (riverboat) – 777 Blue Chip Drive, Michigan City, 46360
• Caesars Southern Indiana – 11999 Casino Center Drive SE, Elizabeth, 47117
• Four Winds South Bend – 3000 Prairie Avenue, South Bend, 46614
• French Lick Resort Casino – 8760 IN-56, French Lick, 47432
• Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana – 5400 W 29th Avenue, Gary, 46406
• Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg (riverboat) – 777 Hollywood Boulevard, Lawrenceburg, 47025
• Hoosier Park – 4500 Dan Patch Circle, Anderson, 46013
• Horseshoe Casino Hammond (riverboat) – 777 Casino Center Drive, Hammond, 46320
• Indiana Grand Casino – 4300 N Michigan Road, Shelbyville, 46176
• Rising Star Casino Resort (riverboat) – 777 Rising Star Drive, Rising Sun, 47040

FAQ

Is online gambling legal in Indiana?

Yes, online gambling is legal in Indiana. However, that only covers sports betting and daily fantasy sports at present. Online casino gambling and online poker are not legal in the Hoosier State.

What types of online gambling are legal in Indiana?

In Indiana, you can access daily fantasy sports and bet on sports online at a sportsbook. Games of chance, including casino slots, cards, and poker, are not legal.

Can I use my Indiana online gaming accounts in other states?

Yes. When you are in another state, you can access your Indiana account to deposit and withdraw and check odds. However, you cannot use your account to place a bet.

If your sportsbook is licensed in another state, you might be able to use the same account to bet when in that location. Through geolocation technology, you will not be able to make a wager at an IA betting site unless you are physically located in the state.

I’m traveling to Indiana. Can I set up my account before I arrive?

Yes. It’s possible to create an account with an Indiana sportsbook or DFS site without being in the state, and we recommend it. Getting a head start before you travel saves you time and stress. You will need to fill out forms and confirm your identity, so doing that in advance means you can start betting as soon as you arrive.

Registering from your home also gives you easy access to your personal information and documents to verify your account instead of finding them while on the road.

Once you arrive in Indiana, you can deposit if you have not already done so, trigger your bonus, and place your first bet.

Can I play at Indiana online gambling sites if I am just visiting the state?

Yes. DFS sites and sportsbooks are not just for state residents, so temporary visitors to the location can enjoy online gambling too. You do need to be physically located within the state borders to place a bet, though.

What is the minimum age to gamble online in Indiana?

You need to be 21 years old or above to gamble online in Indiana. Reputable gambling sites will want you to confirm your age by ticking a declaration box, providing your date of birth, and verifying your identity. That can be done with personal information, including your full name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number.