HB1432
HB1432 would legalize lottery and online casino games in 2025. The Indiana Gaming Commission would oversee the casino industry. State casinos and racetracks could apply for licensing, and an initial fee of $500,000 would apply.
Each license holder would be eligible for up to three skins. Operators would pay 26% in taxes for the first year. After that, a tiered structure would be in place. The tax percentages range from 22% to 30% based on adjusted gross revenues from the previous year.
Live dealer games will be restricted to studios in the state. Operators can only offer such games if the streaming services come from an Indiana-based location.
The bill will also create the Indiana Responsible Gambling and Problem Gambling Services Program, with $500,000 contributed each year from gaming for the program. The group will also receive funds from operators based on responsible gambling and problem gambling costs.
The Indiana Lottery Commission will be in charge of online lottery gaming, with popular draw games and instant titles available online. The measure also considers lottery courier services like Jackpocket.com. Such couriers would be allowed to offer services in the state as long as they obtain a license.
Will Sweepstakes Gaming Be Affected?
In states where real-money online casino gaming is illegal, players rely on sweepstakes casino services for slot and table game play. If real-money iGaming is approved in Indiana, will this negatively affect the sweeps industry?
Providers like High 5 Casino, Wow Vegas, and McLuck Casino offer services in Indiana. Players can join for free and play casino-like games with Gold and Sweeps Coins. Across the US, states are either cracking down on such services or embracing them.
In Connecticut, operators have received cease-and-desist letters to stop providing sweeps services. In New Jersey, new legislation is being considered to require sweepstakes sites to obtain licensing and pay taxes.
So, it could go either way. Will Indiana add a sweepstakes gaming element to the new legislation? Or will sites continue to operate as normal without worrying about a possible cease-and-desist or operational issues?
More states are expected to introduce online gambling legislation this year. If so, we may see more discussion of sweepstakes services and how they differ from regulated real-money services.
