When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indiana
- When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indiana Right Now
- When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indiana State
- When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indianapolis
- When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indiana Casinos
Estimated Date of Legalized Online Poker in Indiana: 2018-2019 Indiana is a state that enjoys regulating its gambling activities, and if it can bring in more money for public programs and increase the state budget, they would probably go for it. However, being such a conservative state, it would take a lot of work for this to come true. You won't find an online poker site set up in Indiana that is legal for players to sign up and play. However, that does not mean that playing poker on the Internet as an Indiana resident is against the law. Actually in fact, there are ways to play free from the fear of breaking the law. Real-money online poker is still explicitly outlawed in Indiana, and no laws to legalize have made any noise there recently. Are offshore sportsbooks legal or safe? Offshore sports betting sites may be acting legally based on the laws in their home countries, but it doesn’t mean they are legal under US law.
With that said, let’s take a closer look at Indiana’s online poker laws. We’ll also discuss briefly any support for future legalization and regulation of online poker in the Hoosier State. Indiana Code – Gambling. The following text is taken directly from the state government website’s documentation of Indiana Code; IC 35-45-5. Online poker in Indiana 2020 Regarding online poker Indiana is in a spot that makes it possible for bettors to play online, even if there isn't anything that makes online poker specifically legal throughout the state. There are no laws on the books regarding online poker.
Can You Play Online Poker in Indiana?
There is currently no legislation permitting online poker in the state.
Current Indiana Gambling Laws
More than a dozen land-based casinos legally operate in Indiana. While most are riverboat casinos, the Hoosier State also has land-based casinos, a Native American casino, and two racinos which also allow horse racing on the properties.
Indiana is a conservative red state which presented major obstacles for any positive iGaming movement. Former Governor Mike Pence, now Vice President, has long been an opponent of iGaming. With Pence moving to the White House as the Vice President of the United States, online gambling may have a greater chance in the state with new Governor Eric Holcomb more open to gaming expansion measures with hundreds of millions in potential tax revenues on the line.
While in the early part of the decade gambling tax income was on the decline, it has steadied off in recent years with the fiscal year 2016 bringing in $554 million, 2017 bringing in $549 million, and 2018 witnessing $556 million added to the state's coffers.
This is still far from the heyday when a decade ago in 2009 the state brought in $876 million in casino-related taxes.
When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indiana Right Now
With this in mind, in April 2019 the Hoosier State passed a bill which allows for sports wagering at state casinos, horse tracks, and off-track betting parlors. Bets can also be placed online after registering at one of the land-based licensed operators.
While online casino and poker hasn't been in the forefront in recent years, it is possible with recent movement on another gambling front this will change in the future.
Best Online Poker Sites for Indiana Players
None at present. But you can always play poker for free with the WSOP Social App.
Indiana is another one of the states that address gambling in a broad way, especially when referring to the use of an electronic device. They define gambling as,
IC 35-45-5-1
(d) “Gambling” means risking money or other property for gain, contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance, or the operation of a gambling device
Indiana law encompasses mostly games of chance, and leaves games of skill out. The reason for this is because they state that most gambling games, although they may have skill involved in playing them, there is also an element of chance; which is basically the same thing as saying the whole game is based on chance.
Any individual or operator caught gambling illegally will be given a misdemeanor. There have been raids on poker clubs, where they have handed out misdemeanors to the players, and felony charges to those that were operating the illegal poker games; of course, this was for live/land-based poker games as oppose to online games.
Gambling Allowed in Indiana
Indiana does allow licensed and regulated gambling to occur, but only in two instances, 1) licensed commercial casinos or 2) licensed charitable gambling. Indiana does not, however, allow any kind of social gambling. They do have pari-mutuel gambling on horse races, and within those licensed casinos they do allow Class III games to be played, like poker.
When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indiana State
Indiana is an equal opportunity state, and in regards to gambling, they crack down just as hard on those that operate illegal gambling as those that participate in the gambling.
Online Poker Law
When talking about online gambling, and online poker, it would be a fair assessment to look at the Indiana laws regarding electronic gaming devices:
IC 35-45-5-1
Sec. 1.
(b) “Electronic gaming device ” means any electromechanical device, electrical device, or machine that satisfies at least one (1) of the following requirements:
(4) It is a video game machine or device operated for consideration to play poker, blackjack, any other card game, keno, or any simulation or variation of these games, including any game in which numerals, numbers, or pictures, representations, or symbols are used as an equivalent or substitute for the cards used in these games.
Based on this statute, a computer is considered an electronic gaming device and playing poker online through a computer and the internet, it can be constituted as illegal gambling within the state of Indiana. As Indiana does have harsh policies against those individual poker players, it is much riskier to play poker online.
Land Based Casinos and Tribal Stances
Indiana is kinder and more lax with those establishments that follow the law, and gain licenses to gamble; such as the casinos. This is why those casinos are allowed to have Class III games, such as poker, blackjack, and craps. All of the casinos in Indiana are commercially operated, which means there are no Native American operated casinos.
When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indianapolis
State Regulated Online Poker
When Will Online Poker Be Legal In Indiana Casinos
Estimated Date of Legalized Online Poker in Indiana: 2018-2019
Indiana is a state that enjoys regulating its gambling activities, and if it can bring in more money for public programs and increase the state budget, they would probably go for it. However, being such a conservative state, it would take a lot of work for this to come true.
Online Lotteries
The Indiana state lottery, or better known as the Hoosier Lottery, started out in 1988, and finally legalized in 1989. Even though they have such a rich history with the state lottery, Indiana still has not adopted online lottery.
Online Poker Sites
With the laws against electronic gambling devices, along with the broad definition of what gambling is, makes it a hard and risky choice on whether or not to play online poker. Also, the state of Indiana does deal out the same harsh punishment to individual gamblers, as they do to illegal operators. Anyone wanting to play poker online should be aware of the ramifications they could face; that said, see all the US friendly and recommended online poker rooms here.